The best way to show your employees you value them is by demonstrating your gratitude. We’ve compiled a list of fun employee appreciation party ideas that will knock the socks off your whole team. 

Say goodbye to boring speeches and overrated informal lunches. With these party ideas, you’ll get to show your employees just how much they mean to you. Without any further ado, let’s get this office party started!

How To Choose Employee Appreciation Party Themes

Before you dive head first into our list of fun party ideas, you should think about an ideal theme for your office party. 

Don’t worry! Choosing a party theme is easier than you might think. 

It helps to know the likes and dislikes of your employees. You can then brainstorm a couple of possible ideas. Ultimately, you want to find a theme most of your employees will enjoy. 

If you know that the majority of your people like a particular type of food or activity, then you can base your theme on their shared interests.

Additionally, if your team builds software, then it’s safe to say that your employees have an interest in tech. With this knowledge in mind, you can host an employee appreciation party with this theme in mind.

Everyone that attends your party will happily play games with an emerging technology theme. There are endless ways to incorporate the theme of your party into your party activities. 

Seven Fun Employee Appreciation Party Ideas

Now that you have an idea of how to choose your party theme, let’s dive into the employee appreciation party ideas we’ve compiled. 

1. The Royal Soireé

Your employees are always going the extra mile to ensure that your company operations are running smoothly, so treat them accordingly. Or even better, treat them like royalty. This party theme is a ton of fun and offers endless options for customizing the event to fit your company culture. 

You can hire a classical pianist and get a professional shoe shiner or two. And don’t forget the court jester! Hiring a great comedian will surely get the night off to a great start.

Such an occasion calls for a fancy location, so book a venue that reflects the royal theme. If there are castle-like buildings or large ballrooms available, even better! Alternatively, velvet tablecloths and fancy candlesticks and goblets can transform your office space.

A multi-course meal or high tea will go great with a royal theme. Apart from the food and fun activities, make sure the dress code is formal. If you look like royalty, you’ll also feel like royalty.

2. Cowboys and Crooks

Everyone loves dressing up as a cowboy, which is why it’s one of our favorite employee appreciation party ideas. Allow your team to fully embrace their fun side and saddle them up for a ride they won’t forget! 

From mechanical bulls to best-dressed contests to indulging in tasty BBQ food, a western-inspired party can allow for a cozy yet exciting atmosphere. You can even give a prize to the best line dancer!

If you want to host the party outside, you can also make a bonfire. To fully embrace the country feel of your party, why not roast some s'mores for dessert?

3. Hollywood Affair

If you are ready to ditch the boring employee appreciation party ideas, then it’s time to roll out the red carpet for all your talented people. With a Hollywood-themed party, your employees will have the perfect opportunity to dress to the nines. You can also give them the option of dressing up as their favorite movie character. The wardrobe options are endless!

As part of the entertainment, why not line up a lively band? There is nothing better than live music to really get people grooving. Of course, good music always sounds best when you have your favorite refreshments on hand. By hiring an experienced mixologist for the evening, your employees will truly feel like Hollywood stars.

If you’d like to organize a proper awards ceremony, be sure to give all your employees some recognition. When handing out Oscars, you can think of creative names for your winners. The best salesman Oscar goes to… You get the gist!

4. Gaming Evening

If you’re a gaming company, this party theme will top any other employee appreciation party ideas you might consider. Take your employees to an internet café or organize a tournament. If your office is the best spot for a gaming event, then you can even host your party there. 

Next, put on some background music, and cater a ton of snacks and drinks. Ideally, the evening’s cuisine should be fun and laid back, so opt for pizza or something else in the finger-food lane. 

For decor, you could put up some cardboard cutouts of famous gaming characters to get people excited. World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, or even a game your studio produced can serve as inspiration.

When it comes to choosing the games you’ll be playing, it’s best to put it up for a vote. Send out a poll to all the attendees and let your employees choose for you. 

This is also a great option if your company is fully remote. Just fire up a custom server, hop on a Zoom call, and your team will be ready to go!

Related: 30 Ideas For Employee Appreciation Gifts To Reward Your Team

5. Picnic Party

Unlike the other fun employee appreciation party ideas on this list, a picnic party is perfect for companies that want to host a more low-key event. If your employees are huddled up inside the office all day, this party theme will give everyone a chance to get some fresh air.

Find a scenic park, nature reserve, or other outdoor venue and reserve a spot for your party. Next, purchase pre-prepared picnic baskets. You can also rent a few blankets to sit on if there aren’t any tables available at your chosen venue. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy the picnic!

6. Talent Show

You know how talented your people are, so why not give them an opportunity to showcase their skills? Unlike other employee appreciation party ideas, this theme will put the spotlight squarely on your team and will give them an opportunity to celebrate each other for their personal interests. It’s also really fun when someone showcases unconventional talents nobody knew they had!

To host a talent show party, book a venue that has a stage and comfortable seating arrangements with a cozy layout. This can even be done over Zoom if your team works remotely.

The introverts in your team might not want to take center stage, but that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy themselves. Giving your employees the option to participate will ensure that the evening doesn’t feel forced or stressful. After all, it’s supposed to be fun! As long as everyone shows up, this party should be a massive success. 

Be sure to organize tasty snacks and choose an MC for the event. A prize-giving ceremony is a great way to end a talent show party. Remember to give everyone who participates an employee appreciation certificate and maybe even give the winner a reward!

7. Fairytale Festivity

Everyone loves a fairytale ending, especially when it comes to a long and trying year. Why not make your employees’ dreams come true by allowing them to escape to Office Wonderland? Compared to all the other employee appreciation party ideas, this one is filled with a secret magic (ok not really) that will make for a truly unforgettable evening.

It would be best if you can find a big venue that you can properly decorate in a fantasy style. Each room can be decorated according to a different fairytale.

When it comes to the dress code, the sky's the limit. Your employees can dress like any fantastical character or creature they like. For entertainment, you can organize some live music and a few fun games.

For food, you could whip up some dishes that have been mentioned in popular fairytales. (Fake) Poison apples, Gingerbread men, and the house made of candy in Hansel and Gretel could all serve as inspiration. You could even serve a pumpkin dish that looks a bit like a carriage! 

Just allow the chef to wave their magic wand and get creative!‍

Final Thoughts

These fun employee appreciation party ideas will provide hours of entertainment to your workforce. 

Whether you’d prefer a low-key affair or an over-the-top soireé, make sure that you show your team how much you appreciate them by throwing them an unforgettable party. 

If you want to organize regular fun activities for your team, check out this ultimate guide on employee appreciation for more ideas.