February 8, 2007, Lincolnshire, IL
When you and your fellow employees are enjoying an office party, chances are that the person planning the event is either an office manager or administrative assistant, according to a survey of 1,150 office support professionals conducted by Lincolnshire, IL-based Quill Corporation. Quill found that 30 percent of office parties were coordinated by the office administrative assistants or secretaries, and 29 percent were organized by the office manager. 23 percent of the time, everyone in the office took turns and in six percent, the office receptionist did the planning.

On which occasions do offices put up decorations and throw a bash? In 50 percent of offices, decorations are put up for birthdays, 13 percent decorate for baby showers, 12 percent for Christmas/holidays, and 9 percent for retirement parties.

52 percent of respondents indicated that decorations help make the party more festive, while about 46 percent don’t put up any special decorations for office parties.

Of those surveyed, 45.5 percent indicated that the annual office party or celebration had a separate budget, and 53.5 percent reported that the annual party is paid for out of discretionary funds or by employees.

How are today’s office parties financed?  For 41.5 percent of offices, the cost is covered by participating employees who pitch in their own money. A little over 18 percent have a budget up to $500, while about 12 percent have budgets from $500 to $1,000. More than 14 percent have budgets that cap at $5,000, while only slightly more than four percent throw blow-out affairs.

When it comes to providing food, more than 22 percent report that the company pays for an outside caterer, while more than 32 percent bring in food or snacks.  The most popular method for including food in a celebration is by “pot luck.” Only about three percent of offices exclude food from the celebrations.

It should come as no surprise that when Quill asked survey participants how often the office has a party or celebration, the most popular response, by 40 percent, was: “Not often enough.” That doesn’t mean that offices don’t like to party. More than 36 percent of respondents indicated that they have parties or celebrations monthly, while more than 21 percent have parties quarterly.  

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