Does your company have plans for Halloween? If not, you could be missing out on a major opportunity to boost morale and bring people together —and win a Glassdoor contest! In fact, Glassdoor surveyed more than 400 users in our 2012 Halloween Survey to find that people are all about this spooky holiday. Not sure where to start? Never fear, Glassdoor has gathered the top tips to help you execute a perfect Halloween this year.
1. Win Glassdoor’s Halloween photo contest
First things first, make sure that whatever your Halloween plans are, that you document the fun! From Oct. 15 12:00 am PT to 11:59 pm PT on Oct. 31, 2015, upload pictures of your company getting in the Halloween spirit to Glassdoor, using the hashtag #Halloween. We’re looking for winners in four categories:
- Best costume (individual)
- Best costume (team)
- Best pet costume
- Best office decorations
Share those group shots, sweet treats and spooky décor at your office directly from your phone using the free Glassdoor app. You can also upload photos from your desktop here.
2. Give the people a party
Some of the greatest benefits of employer-hosted events like a Halloween party are the unique ways they bring people together. Glassdoor Halloween 2012 survey respondents reported their favorite elements of a Halloween office party include the opportunities they provide to boost morale (59%), support team building (50%) and build company culture (40%). In addition, 49% of employees also see work events as a chance to connect with employees in different departments and 43% say it helps connect people across various levels. And of course most employees (61%) also say that they also give a chance to take a break from work.
3. Push costumes
While 52% of respondents plan to attend or participate in their company’s event, only about one in ten (11%) report they are likely to wear a costume to work. But that doesn’t mean you should assume no one is dressing up. Assume they wont do it until everyone else is doing it. When asked if they think their co-workers will dress up 12% thought many would and 27% thought that at least some would. But how do you bump up from 11?
4. When it comes to dressing up, start from the top
You’ll have a better chance of getting employee participation if you get your leaders involved. Nearly one in three (29%) respondents reported they hoped their boss would dress up for Halloween, so build excitement by promising participation from your CEO & other executives.
5. Clarify what NOT to wear
While 46% of respondents were unaware if their company had a policy around what is or is not appropriate to where to work, especially when it comes to Halloween costumes, half of employees (51%) felt that if someone wore an inappropriate costume, HR should ask that person to change. Interestingly, more than one in ten (14%) think HR should send someone home if they are wearing an inappropriate costume at work, and another 29% feel like HR should be focused on more important issues beyond how to handle an inappropriate Halloween costume.
6. If you feed them, they will come
If you are planning to celebrate Halloween at your company, most employees say bring on the decorations (42%) and the free candy (40%). Some other popular Halloween-related activities employees enjoy at work include: Halloween breakfast or lunch (31%), during-business hours party at the office (29%), a costume contest (27%), an after-hours party at the office (18%), and inviting employees’ kids to work to show off their costumes (18%).
If you have budget available for any festivities around Halloween, food will always bring people out of their cubes and away from their desks.
And don’t forget to show off your photos in Glassdoor’s Halloween photo contest! Winners will be published to the Glassdoor blog on Nov. 1. Good luck being ghoulish!
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Halloween Photo Contest Details:
Photo Image Requirements: All images must be original, non-duplicative, and free of any use restrictions or similar third-party rights, including copyright and moral rights. You must own and have all rights to upload and post the images on Glassdoor. All images must fully comply with Glassdoor’s posted guidelines, terms and policies with respect to Content contribution. See online Terms of Use (
http://www.glassdoor.com/about/terms.htm) and other posted guidelines, FAQs and policies for additional details. Your images may be subject to independent review or verification at Glassdoor’s discretion. Duplicate or substantially similar images may not be accepted or count towards the one (1) image minimum required for contest entry.
Prize: At the end of the contest period, Glassdoor in its sole discretion, will select one (1) winner from eligible entries in each of the four contest categories. Entrants understand and agree that the sole prize awarded will be the publication of the winning photos and a mention of your company on the Glassdoor Blog on
November 1, 2015.
