Nov 28, 2018

I get inquiries all the time from people who've been volunteered to hire company party entertainment. Usually it's the person's first time doing such a task.

They've probably gotten an arbitrary budget from their boss (who's also never hired company party entertainment).

So they go on a search to find an entertainer who fits into their (arbitrary) budget. And they find one. And usually (if the budget is low). not a very good one. And the guests are disappointed, and the entertainment hiring volunteer is embarrassed, and the "entertainer" leaves with a small paycheck.

But are you really hiring entertainment, or something else?

I'd say you're hiring (even in a party setting) team bonding and morale building. And with the cost of hiring and training new employees, isn't keeping them around and happy worth the few hundred extra bucks? 

Here's a rule of thumb: The  food budget and the entertainment cost should be roughly the same. Remember, the entertainment (good or bad) will be remembered long after the rubber chicken dinner is just another flush of the toilet.

Your team will have a great time laughing, tapping their feet or oohing and aahing together. And they'll be talking about it for years to come.

Isn't $30 to $50 per person a reasonable yearly expense to keep your team happy and productive?

Please add a comment