by Leilani Haywood
Halloween office parties with elaborate costumes, contests, and trick or treaters are a fun opportunity for coworkers to network and reach out to the community. Barbara Walsh, CAP and senior administrative assistant at the North Central Texas Council of Governments said that her department coordinates a ‘meet and greet’ for the 10-department agency with over 325 staff. “Staff can voluntarily participate by placing a bowl of candy in their office or cubicle for others to ‘trick or treat,’” says Walsh. “This gives everyone the opportunity to meet staff in other departments or visit coworkers for a couple of minutes.”
Walsh added that her office also has a costume contest. “Our administrative team won the agency’s ‘Best Group Costume’ for 2015. We may be adults, but we really enjoyed acting like kids for an hour.” Michelle Bender, CAP-OM and senior administrative assistant at Parsons in the Contracts Department, says that their party helps promote teamwork.
Parsons divides their staff into smaller groups to decorate a pumpkin. “Once all the groups were finished, two to three staff from the mail room judged the pumpkins,” says Bender. “They were so creative. It helped us to promote teamwork and fun at a low cost.”
The winner of the 2015 Costume Contest was IAAP member Barbara Walsh’s department.
The annual Halloween party is one of the most anticipated events at Perrigo, a global health care products company based in Michigan. “We have a costume contest and I make certificates for the winners,” says Amy Schanz, CAP-OM, executive assistant for Global Procurement. “We have a potluck and we also open up the building to trick or treaters. It is one of the most anticipated days of the year for our group.”
The winning group for the costume contest at Perrigo
Credit: IAAP member Amy Schanz, CAP-OM
Schanz sends an invitation through Outlook for trick or treating and a separate invitation for costume pictures and the potluck. “If someone will be out of the office during the trick or treat time, I ask that they leave a bowl of candy on their chair so the little kids get lots of candy,” she says.
At Constitution Surgery Alliance in Avon, CT, Lisa Lonicki, CAP-OM and executive assistant says that her company has a catered Halloween party. “Spooky food is being catered, costume contest with prizes, candy contest, and some ghoulish treats that are not for the faint of heart.” Some of the ‘ghoulish delights’ include Mildewed Meatballs With Blood Sauce, Homemade Sparkling Apple Juice and a Pumpkin filled with dip surrounded by veggies.
Make your Halloween office party memorable with these invitations, recipes, and serving suggestions!
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