Making Corporate Happy Hours Truly Happy

Happy hours are supposed to live up to their name, right? The aim is to provide guests with hours of happiness. Originally, happy hours were a way for bars and restaurants to attract the after-work crowd with slashed prices and deals on drinks or food. Now these timeframes, and the relaxed mood they create, have evolved into a staple for corporate events as well.

Young companies, especially in the tech field, may employ individuals in-house to organize events that include monthly, or bi-weekly, mixers for employees. When Hulu was in its infancy (and thereafter), it hosted ‘wind-downs’ every other Friday, where CEOs and interns alike were able to interact and share stories, as well as ideas. This type of environment shaped what the company is today. More traditional corporations, as well as smaller companies without such resources, can take a cue from these companies and follow suit, or as it is, follow the non-suit crowd. Company happy hours help increase employee moral and promote an open corporate culture by providing a time and place for socialization away from desks.

So how do you get people excited about hanging out with co-workers after the workday is over? Well, the simple answer is: free drinks. But there are plenty of things you can add to distinguish your company’s event to make those hours the happiest. Collaborating with local bars to hold a trivia night with specials for employees is one way to get people involved. Or even just forming a ‘sponsored’ team to join a league together.

If you have the space, you can also have your own gathering at a company building. If you decide to host this type of event ‘in house’ - there are a few essential elements to take note of. First and foremost, make sure you account properly for the amount, as well as the variety, of drinks for everyone – it’s not likely employees will be participate in future gatherings if they show up to an event that ends prematurely due to lack of libations. On the other side of things, make sure to encourage employees to not only drink responsibly, but to travel that way too. Providing Uber vouchers or MARTA passes may be a great way to ensure people get home safe. The most important thing to remember when organizing, or hosting, a corporate happy hour is that it’s intended to give employees a break. The main objective is to have fun and relax. So however that’s achieved doesn’t exactly matter. Be creative, or be traditional, because in the end – the happy hour happiness is in the eye of the drink-holder.

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