How to Plan a Fun Diwali Celebration at Work for a Young, Male-Dominated Team?

Hi all, before the Diwali holidays begin, our management wants to organize a full-day Diwali celebration at our workplace. It would be really helpful if you could share some ideas on how the celebrations can be planned. Our office has a staff of 20 people, mainly comprising men in the age group of 20 to 25.

Additionally, any suggestions on Diwali gifts that can be given to employees would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance!

You can plan the gifts and other mementos to greet your employees on Diwali. The market is flourishing with good candles, diyas, and SHUBH & LABH mementos. They are cost-effective and represent the festival's symbols.

Regards,

After reading your post, I think we can also gift small idols of Lakshmi-Ganesh. Thanks for sparking the creativity! But how do we celebrate Diwali in the office? Awaiting responses from other creative HR professionals as well.

Regards

First of all, it feels really great to see your post. I am also associated with the company in Administration, so I often arrange these kinds of get-togethers. Here are some suggestions for your company:

1) First of all, finalize the timing of the party and accordingly arrange some Hi-Tea, Lunch, or dinner.

2) Make it mandatory for every employee to wear ethnic attire. I know most of them might not have it, but if only 10 out of 20 will wear ethnic attire, it will create a cheerful and festive ambiance.

3) As per the budget decided, you can then present a small gift to the Best Dressed person. It will not only make that individual happy but also motivate other employees to do the same next time.

4) Light some candles and decorate a limited area with garlands or flowers.

5) You may also conduct some light games like pillow passing, tambola, musical chairs.

Anshu, I am heading towards Diwali, and we are going to rock. Hope you can also do the same. Try it; you all will love to do this kind of stuff.

Thanks

Have a rocking Diwali.

Diwali Gifts for Employees

Diwali is an important festival for all employees, irrespective of religion. It is better to gift some useful mementos that may be helpful to their households rather than some celebrity-themed items.

Thank you.

Regards,
Pon

I totally agree with Pon; gift some useful things to your employees rather than giving mementoes or something else. You mentioned that employees are between the ages of 20-25, which means they are all bachelors. Give gifts that are useful in a bachelor's life.

You can also arrange a good lunch or dinner for your employees, either by ordering it at your office or going outside. However, you also need to keep in mind the company's budget; it should not be exceeded.

I'm attaching some ideas for Diwali gifts. Hope they work for you.

Thanks,
Nisha Sharma

Hi Anshu, along with the other ideas posted here, Diwali is celebrated in remembrance of the victory over evil. So, at the end of the party, you can ask your employees to convey every employee to mention their resolution to eliminate bad things/negative things in their lives. For example, if an employee is short-tempered, that is his negative trait. He can eliminate that so that he can cherish his work. You can ask them to share their ideas one by one, or you can ask them to write it down on chits, shuffle them, and then have one person read them aloud.

Regards,
Uma.K.S

The way you treat and greet is the way you like each other. Giving a small silver coin of Ganesha and a luncheon on the last day of work will prove good for you, the company, and the employee (within your budget). All the best, wish you a very happy Diwali.

Regards

Dear Ankita, thank you so much for your innovative ideas. Your post shows that you organize a lot of events at your workplace. I really liked the idea of "Best Dressed Employee." It even got me fantasizing, will I get that award? ...lol. I feel playing games like Tambola will not only bring in money for players but also guarantee a lot of fun. Thanks once again.

@pon1965: I am in complete agreement with that, but deciding on a useful thing for bachelor guys is what gets my head spinning. My sole concern is that they shouldn't criticize the little gift the management gives them. That's why I came up with the idea of giving idols because that is something nobody can object to for religious reasons. I would be glad if you could suggest some specific money-saving gifts that bachelor guys might like.

@ HR Nisha: I wholeheartedly appreciate the extra efforts you made in making that list of gifts. Thank you so much. I liked the idea of gifting a pen drive because that's what most tech guys like. Let's see if I can get approval from the management for that. We are definitely organizing tea and lunch in the office because that will bring the festive spirit inside the office. And yes, I will keep the budget in mind. Even if I don't, the Management definitely will ;)

@ ksumanair: That was such an introspective idea. There couldn't be a better way to mark the day. I will ask the employees to write down their weaknesses on a chit and shuffle them in a box. As you suggested, one person can read it. That way, none of the employees will be singled out for their weaknesses and will take away a message from the celebration. Thanks once again!

@ sekhars111: Thanks for your post, but a silver coin is something that will exceed our budget. However, a luncheon is definitely on the list.

Once again, thank you all for helping an amateur HR professional like me. I would also like to add that I am thinking of doing a small Pooja at the start of the day.

Any more ideas/suggestions will be welcomed.

Regards, Anshu

On 18th October 2011, we celebrated Diwali in our organization. Even though ours is a small one with a staff of just 20, I am working as an HR Executive here, so I will share my experience with you.

Diwali Celebration Events

The following events were conducted:
- Traditional outfits were compulsory for all.
- Two games were played, namely "Dumb Charades" and "Stamp on the Numbers."
- Rangoli competition with a corporate-related theme.
- Prize distribution and gift-giving ceremony.
- Finally, the celebration ended with a snacks party.

For the complete celebration, we spent only Rs. 3000. The amount to be spent depends on the type of Diwali gift you are giving to the employees. We gave Cadbury celebrations to all the employees.

Today, I have taken the review of all the employees, and a chorus voice exclaimed, "Yesterday we enjoyed a lot! Fun, right?"

Best Regards,
Lipika Verma

Hi Anshu, you can even plan to gift dry fruit packets instead of some other things. I have a staff of 160 employees, and we have decided to give them dry fruit gift packets as well.

@lipika: First of all, many congratulations on the success of your Diwali party. Reading your post gave me an idea that when it comes to deciding on a game, I should ask the employees to choose a game of their choice. Earlier, I thought about Tambola, but now I think dumb charades is not a bad idea either.  But can you tell me more about "Stamp on the Numbers"?

I am excluding the Rangoli competition for the simple reason that this might not fascinate the majority of the guys in our company. Probably, I can include that as a task for decoration, and I am sure that will be done by female employees.  Undoubtedly, you spent a very reasonable amount on the entire party. I wonder how much we will be spending from our kitty!

@neha.indsur: Thanks for your suggestion, Neha. But, as I previously mentioned, the majority of our employees are young guys, and thus dry fruit packs might not be well appreciated by them. Can you kindly suggest something else meant exclusively for young guys who are tech-savvy?

Regards

Dear Anshu, Thanks. I will start my discussion with the "Stamp on the Numbers."

Introduction to the Game

It's a simple but team-building, strategy-formulating game that can be played in a corporate setting.

1. In this game, there is one organizer who will organize the game, and probably you can be the organizer in your case.
2. The organizer will have to write the numbers from 1-32 on a piece of cardboard or any hard paper as this will be stamped with feet. You can choose any number but necessarily starting with 1 up to... (prepare this in advance because this is the tool for the game).
3. Divide all the participants into teams of 4 or 5 or any number.
4. Ask each team to choose a leader, and once they choose, ask them why they have chosen him/her as the leader.
5. Then take the leader to a separate room and explain the game:

Game Instructions

In one room, all the numbers from 1-32 will be spread on the ground. The respective team with their team members will have to stamp their feet in a sequence, starting with 1, 2, 3, and so on. The team that finishes earlier will be the winner. Keep track of time and give them a time limit.

Rules

1. While stamping the numbers, the team member must say loudly the number he/she is stamping.
2. There has to be pin-drop silence; they can only say the numbers, nothing else.
3. The numerical sequence must be followed while stamping the numbers.
4. Other team members can help the player by pointing, tapping the numbers.
5. Let them decide if all team members will play or some will guide with the numbers; this depends on the team's decision.
6. If they do not follow the rules, they will be disqualified.
7. If none of the teams win in the first attempt, give them a second chance, but until all teams complete the game, do not give them the next attempt.
8. Ask leaders to discuss these rules with their respective teams and prepare a strategy for completing and winning the game.

That's all about the game. Try this; it's very interesting. It was a BIG HIT at our place.

Regards,
Lipiks

As your company's workforce is predominantly male and the team is relatively small, consider rewarding them with an iPod if you have the budget for it. My previous company also distributed iPods to employees during Diwali, and it was well-received. Undoubtedly, your employees will appreciate this gesture.

Regards,
Parul Gupta

It totally depends on your budget for the celebration. If you have a good budget and intend to give a gift to each of your employees, you can choose the suggested gift ideas by other friends here. If you are looking for something economical, then on-floor activities with active participation are always better.

Celebration Ideas

Here are a few things you can do:

1. Plan a day where all employees are supposed to come in ethnic wear.
2. Decorate the floor to give a feel of Diwali celebration.
3. Organize a Pooja in the office and make the employees part of it.
4. Distribute sweets.
5. Organize some fun events like games, dance, music, etc.
6. Give your employees a day full of freedom where no manager/supervisor will be monitoring them. Just make sure to communicate that deliverables will always come first, but they are free to take as many breaks as they want. This will ultimately be the best day for them as freedom really does wonders many times.
7. Ask them to prepare some nice greeting cards themselves. Prepare a well of name chits, ask each employee to take one chit, and that employee will have to give the card to the name written on the chit. That way, each and every employee will receive a Diwali card. This brings a lot of happiness too.

Small Preparations Before Celebrations

• Ask your employees to clean up their office desks just as many people clean their houses in India.
• Add a few Diwali touches to the desk.
• Pin up a Diwali card with 'Happy Diwali' written on it on your desk/cubicle. Also, suggest each employee give a card to any one employee.
• Ask them to bring in treats for the team during the festival week (if they want to).

Hope this works.

Regards,
Akhil Khatri

HR REVIEW

HR REVIEW

Just adding a bit to all the lovely ideas posted already... Instead of giving a standardized gift to all the employees, it would be a bit more exciting if you could arrange a small lucky draw for the employees. Also, some creative games like a Rangoli competition may be arranged to add to the fun and enjoyment.

Happy Diwali!

Regards,
Pooja Saha

First of all, I want to express my gratitude for your encouragement towards employers. I have an idea that in your company, only 20 people are working. Why not consider celebrating Diwali at an orphanage with kids or elderly people? This would be a unique way to step outside the company and make a positive impact. Don't consider it as too much; in my opinion, it would be a wonderful initiative.

Dear Anshu,

Diwali: Celebrating the Victory of Good Over Evil

Diwali is the festival celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil and light over the dark. This game is called "Thrash the Dark."

All you need are either candles or diyas, which you can light. Ask your employees, in groups or individually, to come forward and light a candle/diya. Let the gathering know which dark quality in their life (personal/professional/social) they would like to win over this Diwali. You will see how much fun and commitment comes out of the game.

Wish you all the best.

Warm regards,
Ebenezar

Hi Anshu, what I think about giving employees is, rather than giving gift items, you can give them a cash card of the required amount according to their designation. This way, employees can buy whatever they wish for Diwali.

Dear Anshu,

Our office is similar, with 30-35 employees, mainly male. I take care of HR and operations and thought of giving them gift vouchers. These vouchers come in various denominations, which is cost-effective, and employees have the freedom to buy a gift of their choice.

Hope you have a great Diwali.

Hi all,

I have recently joined as HR, and the management team is interested in celebrating the Diwali Festival. We have approximately 100 employees, and the budget allocated is 10K overall, inclusive of decorations and lunch.

Please suggest some fun activities that we can organize for the celebration.

Thanks

Hi Everyone,

We have 800 employees and we want to arrange cultural activities for the Diwali occasion on October 21, 2019. Kindly suggest some activities. So far, we have organized dance performances, one-act plays, singing competitions, and a fashion show. We are looking for more interesting ideas. Your suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks & Regards,
Rashmi

Hi Rashmi,

If you have sufficient space, you can arrange a tug of war, which is truly an interesting game that both boys and girls can participate in. Additionally, you can incorporate a Bollywood theme where each team selects a movie of their choice and dresses up as different characters from that movie. Then, have them prepare and present a popular scene from the chosen movie. I believe this idea will add a dramatic flair, and everyone will enjoy it.

Thanks!!
Human Resources