It’s that time of the year when companies start planning their holiday celebrations. While festivities took a hiatus during COVID, we’ve seen things return to normal over the last two years, specifically when it comes to the annual holiday party (they’re back!). To get a sense of how companies plan to celebrate this year, we surveyed our corporate clients to learn what’s top of mind for them when it comes to planning a celebration, and to our surprise, it wasn’t the location, theme or entertainment that topped the chart; it’s whether employees will join in the celebrations. As companies continue to identify avenues to foster collaboration and a fun culture, it looks like engagement is an area that will continue to be a priority.

Nearly 40% of clients have expressed concern about employees’ lack of enthusiasm and participation. The fact that almost 70% of clients have returned to the office, whether through a hybrid model or full-time, prompts the question of whether this signals employee burnout and a declining interest in company events during their free time. And according to research, there’s been a decline in employee engagement over the years, with just 32% of U.S. employees reporting they are engaged with their organization, and 18% reporting that they are actively disengaged.  With 50% of employees feeling neither actively engaged or disengaged, companies have a massive opportunity to positively influence and improve how those individuals engage with the company instead of leaving them at risk of slipping to disengaged or remaining neutral. 

As companies continue to identify avenues to foster collaboration and culture, finding ways to build more engagement is no doubt a clear priority. For a deeper look at how companies are approaching celebrations this year, including where they plan to celebrate, how they are budgeting, and more, check out the blog from Jeff Mirmelstein, vice president and general manager of Grubhub Corporate Accounts. 

*Data points are based on an internal survey of Grubhub Corporate clients (2023)