How To Celebrate the End of the Year Tech Style

Tech employees are a little different, and when you get a group of people that may be a little more socially challenged you need to think differently about events.

At The Canadian Web Hub, we have a number of people on our team who prefer working alone, and thrive with to-do lists as opposed to creative meetings.

We knew that when it came time for our year-end party we needed to bring them together but also make it a fun time for all and not socially awkward.

The Ideas We Had

Ok so before we get to what we actually did, I wanted to share some of the ideas we came up with, as many of them would have been great and we wanted to pass them along.

Here is what we wanted to accomplish…

• The Importance of Year-End Events for Tech Teams
• How Celebrating Together Boosts Morale and Retention
• Balancing Fun, Engagement, and Team Recognition

Virtual Year-End Celebration Ideas

• Escape Room – find some virtual escape rooms here
• High-Tech Game Night
• Virtual Reality (VR) Hangout
• Tech-Themed Trivia & Quiz Night – here are some of the tech trivia questions we used
• Online Hackathon or Innovation Challenge
• Scavenger Hunt

We added this list because we do have some remote workers who service our business and complete tasks for us. We discussed the idea of having a remote event that people could be a part of virtually. In the end, we decided that the local team still needed an “event” and so that’s what we did.

We did however incorporate a “bingo” style scavenger hunt that was pretty good and got a decent amount of engagement because we had some nice prizes.

In-Person Year-End Party Ideas

Ok, so we knew we wanted an in-person event so we talked through some ideas about how to do that, and have a tech theme.

• Classic Office Party with a Tech Twist
  • Smart Lighting, AI DJs, and Interactive Screens
  • How to Integrate AR Filters for Fun Photo Booths
• Themed Costume Party for Techies
  • Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, or Retro Gaming Themes
  • Encouraging Team Creativity with Best-Dressed Contests
• Outdoor Retreat or Adventure
  • Tech-Free Wilderness Retreat to Recharge and Reconnect
  • Adrenaline-Packed Activities: Ziplining, Rock Climbing, or Kart Racing
• Exclusive VIP Tech Experience
  • Renting a Tech Museum or AI Lab for a Private Tour
  • Behind-the-Scenes Look at Cutting-Edge Innovations

Food & Beverage Options to Impress a Tech Crowd

We also knew how important gathering together around food was important. So we talked about that too.

• Gourmet Catering with Futuristic Cuisine
  • Molecular Gastronomy & Sci-Fi Inspired Dishes
  • AI-Powered Cocktail and Drink Recommendations
• DIY Cooking or Mixology Class
  • Hosting a Virtual or In-Person Team Cooking Challenge
  • Partnering with Local Chefs or Bartenders for a Unique Experience

Giving Back: Meaningful Ways to End the Year

At the Canadian Web Hub, we have a few companies that we help just because we want to. We actually love the idea of being able to have great business metrics, and provide a great service at a great price. but also be able to help people that need it in the area we serve.

• Charity Hackathon for a Good Cause
  • Using Tech Skills to Support Nonprofits and Community Projects
  • Partnering with Local Charities for Maximum Impact
• Volunteer Day or Donation Drive
  • Organizing a Tech Equipment Donation Event
  • Encouraging Teams to Volunteer at STEM Initiatives

Just Get Them Together – But Oh Ya Have Fun

We knew we wanted to get together and we wanted it to be away from our offices. So we actually found a place in Calgary called Skunkworks Distillery and they have an event room, and btw they make moonshine. We thought it was a little off the beaten path as far as venues go and most people had not ever tried a moonshine cocktail before. So that was cool.

We also got a live band to play and we did some things throughout the night to keep the party momentum moving and keep people engaged.

We had an arrival and cocktail hour, then we had food. This helped to start the night and get everybody in a party mood. We then had the band play for a bit to give people some entertainment.

We then had our recognition and general speeches from the leaders of the team. We wanted to make sure our team felt appreciated and thanked for a great year.

After that, we played some games and had a trivia thing that allowed people to be interactive without forcing things. Then the band played again and we let people dance and have the rest of the night to themselves. Many of our team thought is was the best year-end party they had ever been to and that the venue was awesome.

What It All Means

We wanted to share this with you to let you know that we are more than just a hosting and cloud company we do our best to make people feel like they are a part of something like a team. I hesitate to say family because that is best left for family. We like being on a team, helping each other and actually be a part of each other lives. We do belive however that it needs to happen organically and can’t always be forced. We want to provide the opportunity for people to connect.

We think our culture is good for us and our team, but we also think it translates into how we treat our customers and the people we do business with. We want to find solutions and be helpful, that’s what we do. But behind the scenes we are also people, and we love doing tech with others.