Holiday party security: planning your year-end event
Company holiday parties are some of the friendliest events we cover, and some of the easiest to get wrong. Open bars, plus ones nobody vetted and a crowd leaving all at once late at night. Here is how we plan them.
Book early in the season
Most holiday parties land on the same few Thursdays and Fridays in December, and venues, caterers and security all fill up. Lock in your officers when you sign the venue, not the week before.
Decide how the door works
Settle who is on the list, whether plus ones are allowed, and what ID you accept. Give the door team a printed list as a backup. A polite, firm check at the door keeps out the people who saw the party on social media.
Plan for coats and bags
Winter means coats, bags and gifts piling up at the door. Put the coat check where officers can see it, give it its own staff, and keep the line out of the way of the exit.
Watch the bar, kindly
Agree ahead of time on how a guest who has had too much gets handled: a quiet word, water, a ride home. Officers who know the plan can step in early and calmly, before it becomes a scene in front of the CEO.
Think about the end of the night
Most problems happen at the end, not the start. Plan a staggered exit if you can, keep someone near the door at last call, and make sure people get to their rides safely, especially on a dark, crowded block.
Know who is in charge
Name one person from your team who can make decisions on the night, and give that name to the security lead. If something happens, nobody should be hunting for HR in the middle of the dance floor.
Where we come in
We staff holiday parties across New York, New Jersey and Florida, from small office parties to large galas. Send us the date, the venue and the head count and we will put the plan together.
This article is general information, not legal or fire code advice. Requirements change, so confirm the details for your site with the agency named or with us before you rely on them.