Ah, the corporate party. Remember those? All of your colleagues are in a room together. Talking. Laughing. Sharing food. You usually hated the idea of them, to be honest. All that shallow schmoozing on your time. But you put a brave face on, showed up, kicked your small talk game up a few notches, and partied with the best of them.

You and your work wife would spend hours (read: months) discussing what you’d wear. The makeup look you’d try out. How high was too high when it came to the right pair of heels.

Then a little thing called Covid came along and… well… you know. Events became a hotbed for infection. A super spreader activity. Something that could make your eyes water just thinking about them.

And in many states across the country, they were totally banned. You and your teammates were sent to work from home indefinitely. There’d be no tea-break chats in the kitchen. Or afternoon coffee runs. Definitely no Friday night drinks. Corporate parties were firmly put on pause.

But now, they’re back… and you’ve just been tasked with organising one. Gulp.

If you’re feeling a little out of practice, keep reading! We’re diving into five corporate party ideas to inspire your next inter-office event. Oh! And (this is the most important part in our books) the food to match.

Let’s party!

Can you say… whodunnit?

True crime is having a moment. Actually, it’s been having a moment for the past five years, which means it’s probably just a full-blown phenomenon now. That sounds a bit grim but we promise we’re getting to some good stuff!

If you and your co-workers spent 2018 discussing The Teacher’s Pet in your lunch break or 2020 dissecting Tiger King over Zoom, you’re going to love the murder mystery-themed corporate party.

Not only are murder mystery events a heap of fun, but they also require thorough analysis, strong listening skills, and a whole lot of togetherness to hunt down the “killer’. So it ticks the corporate team building list too. Win!

You can try an event planner who will run the whole themed event for you. Or if your team’s on the smaller side, you could pick up a game in a box like this one.

Now… what about the food? A murder mystery-themed corporate party calls for something spicy, don’t ya think? Our top pick is Mexican: fresh, tasty, tangy, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Need more party theme ideas?. See our article on the subject.

Get Movin’

Lift spirits with an active corporate party. We’re talking about a trip to the bowling alley, rock climbing wall, or even salsa dancing.

You could also keep it super lo-fi and host a few rounds of frisbee, footy, or cricket at the park across the road.

Anything goes… just watch out for those competitive folks in your group who tend to take winning very seriously. Be sure to remind your team that it’s not about who’s names on the leader board – it’s how you work together as a team.

Food-wise, you can’t go past a simple lunch spread of sandwiches, wraps, rolls, and mini quiches.

Brunch o’clock

Treating your team to brunch at the end of a busy week will likely be met with a big round of applause. We mean… who doesn’t love brunch food? Piping hot lattes. Fresh fruit salads. A smorgasbord of bagels, muffins, and pastries.

You’re salivating just thinking about it, right?

Plus, you won’t have to spend days worrying about a location or logistics because it’s easy to host in-house. And attendance rates will be high – likely 100% unless any impromptu meetings pop up.

Just be sure to hold your brunch-themed corporate party when no meaty deadlines are in the pipeline. Or when half the office is out on annual leave. No one wants to miss out on a free brunch. No one.

So what should you include on the menu? You can’t go wrong with fruit skewers, scones with jam and cream, mixed danishes (apple and blueberry always go down a treat), and some yogurt cups.

But you’ll want to include more substantial items too – such as egg and bacon tarts, ham and cheese croissants, plus a few egg and mushroom wraps to please your veggo colleagues,

And coffee. Lots and lots of coffee!

Easy, breezy BBQ

There’s no better way to farewell the summer months than with a classic BBQ where everyone can let their hair down and relax.

BBQs are casual, low fuss, and usually low cost too! If your office doesn’t have a BBQ on-site, head to your local park or anywhere close by that has a public one.

You don’t need to organise too much either. Keep the food simple with sausages, veggie burgers, and corn on the cob. You should also add a few salads to the mix.

One last tip? Make sure there’s someone in the team who’s competent behind a grill!

Around the world in three hours or less

Let’s face it, you and your workmates probably haven’t jumped on an international flight in almost two years. In fact, you’ve barely left your living room.

So why not give the team a taste of travel by organizing a corporate party that allows them to try out a series of dishes from right around the world. The possibilities are endless!

Simply select a few countries and plate up their signature dishes, Or make a game out of it and ask your colleagues to vote on their favorite regions and flavors.

Don’t worry – you do not have to cook said dishes. This post is all about making your next corporate party easier on you, not harder!

Yum Catering specializes in delivering some of the best cuisines from across the globe. Think meals from Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Italy, Greece, France, and India.

Sigh.

Makes you want to pack your bags and head off on a three-month overseas holiday, doesn’t it?

You’ll get there one day, but now you better get back to organizing that killer work event.

This article was written by our friends at Yum Catering. We hope it’s given you the inspiration you were looking for while planning your corporate party. If you need more guidance on the catering side of things, don’t be shy, get in touch with their friendly team.