6 SIMPLE AND MOST MEMORABLE MARCH 8TH IDEAS FOR COMPANIES

Organizing International Women’s Day on March 8th is not only an activity to honor women but also an opportunity to strengthen employee engagement and enhance the company’s brand value.

The importance of women in today’s businesses

Since the early 20th century, International Women’s Day has been celebrated to commemorate women who have fought worldwide, to honor women, and to promote gender equality. However, employment inequality still persists globally, hindering human and economic development.
According to United Nations data, women’s income is only 77% of men’s for the same amount of work. In many countries, work and promotion opportunities for women, especially those with families and children, are significantly limited. They do not receive adequate education or necessary healthcare.

We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.
_ Malala Yousafzai (Human rights activist, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history)

However, in recent years, appointing women to senior positions has become an irreversible trend. According to the 2019 report by McKinsey in collaboration with LeanIn.Org, over a five-year period (from 2015 to 2019), the number of women holding C-Suite positions in businesses and organizations increased from 17% to 21%. Currently, over 44% of companies have at least three women in C-Level roles. These numbers, while not yet massive, partly demonstrate the standing of women and future work trends. Gender equality brings businesses value in terms of financial reports, employee engagement, innovation, and reduced turnover rates,… Businesses that respect women and value gender equality are more likely to reach and influence a larger customer base than their industry competitors.
So how can you promote gender equality in your business? How can you make female employees feel valued, treated fairly, and love their jobs even more? Let’s explore some simple yet fun and memorable ideas with 1Office for organizing International Women’s Day on March 8th.

Some ideas for a successful and memorable March 8th celebration at your company

1. Tea and Cake Party

A “Tea and Cake Party” – a familiar yet timeless idea for company parties. You should choose teas with delicate flavors and relaxing aromas like rose tea, chamomile tea, Earl Grey tea, pandan ginseng tea, etc. The tea can be served hot or cold to suit the weather. In cold weather, a warm cup of lemon tea with a few slices of ginger is “absolutely perfect.” Conversely, if the weather is warm, a glass of iced fruit or herbal tea will bring refreshment and a boost to the spirit.

The cakes served at the tea party should be small, with cute and beautiful decorations, so everyone can enjoy them while chatting. You can consider cakes like: cream puffs, carrot cake, red velvet cake, chocolate cream cake, green tea cream cake, etc. If you want to be more upscale, try treating the ladies in the company to macarons. This is a French pastry famous for its vibrant, lovely appearance, especially suitable for taking photos and “checking in.”

You can also consider other snacks such as: seasonal fruits, raisins, various nuts, etc.

2. Send Words of Love

Surely, all of us have been curious at times about what those around us, especially those of the opposite gender, think of us. On March 8th, the men in the company should send the sweetest words of love to the women around you.
Prepare decorations like glass jars, jute twine, vintage note paper, kraft paper/stiff brown cardstock, a hole punch, etc. You can find these items at bookstores, e-commerce sites, or on Hang Ma Street. Then, each male employee should choose at least 10 female colleagues who have made a strong impression on them (excluding female colleagues from their own department/team) and share their thoughts. These could be the points the men find most impressive/attractive about the female colleague, memorable moments, well wishes, etc. These notes can be folded into shapes for added effect, or simply folded neatly, placed in a glass jar, and decorated with jute twine and a hole-punched tag with the recipient’s name. Alternatively, you can style each message as a small bundle of envelopes loosely tied with jute twine.
Read more: Top 2 most prominent trends for organizing company parties today

3. Secret Gift

If the idea of making handmade gifts for the ladies is too difficult, then switch to buying gifts. Besides classic choices like flowers and cards, you can consider some of the following gifts:

a. Cosmetics

Whether they are in their twenties or middle-aged, women are more or less interested in cosmetics and own a few items to carry with them. You shouldn’t gift skincare products because everyone has a different skin type with different needs. If you’re not careful, your gift could completely backfire. Instead, makeup sets or lipstick sets will be sophisticated gifts that score points with the women in the company. Lipstick shades like terracotta orange, dusty rose, brick red, burnt orange, coral pink/orange, and classic red are easy-to-wear tones suitable for many skin tones and ages. “Avoid” colors like fuchsia pink, neon orange, pale pink, and pale nude… to have a peaceful March 8th.

b. Books

Books are a wonderful tool for providing information on interpersonal skills and answering the questions, thoughts, and feelings of women. In a context where young people are increasingly reluctant to read, encourage your employees to spend more time acquiring knowledge and promoting a reading culture. You should gift the ladies books from the self-help genre because they are relatable, easy to read, and easy to connect with.
You can refer to the books below:

• Bạn đắt giá bao nhiêu? (Vãn Tình): Suitable for women who are married, about to get married, or in a relationship. Through everyday stories from the author and those around her, the book is a heartfelt sharing of valuable lessons on interpersonal skills in life and the mindset of a modern woman. The writing style is modern and distinctive. The author is Chinese, so the lessons learned are very relatable to the lives of Vietnamese people.
• Khí chất bao nhiêu, hạnh phúc bấy nhiêu (Vãn Tình): Suitable for a wide audience, especially young women in their 20s, and girls who are about to/have recently graduated. Similar to “Bạn đắt giá bao nhiêu?”, the book carries a message encouraging women to live confidently and strongly amidst life’s storms, while remaining gentle and feminine enough not to lose their inner beauty.
• Tuổi 20 – Sức hút từ kỹ năng giao tiếp (Kim Thục Lệ): This book is especially for young women who have difficulty with communication. The book is a compilation of many everyday stories containing analyses and valuable lessons about the art of living. The tone is gentle, soft, and suitably feminine.

4. Organize competitions

a. Baking/Cooking contest

A baking/cooking contest is a good experience for men to understand the challenges women face in having to be “good at public affairs and proficient at housework” and to share the burden with them. There are many contest formats; depending on the desired difficulty, you can refer to the MasterChef program for unique ideas for the competition rounds. 
Sample rules: Each team can choose their ingredients and prepare before the competition time. The competition lasts for about half a day (morning or afternoon), and the final product is a lavish meal tray. The judging criteria include beautiful presentation and rich flavor, the concept for decorating the meal tray, and a presentation on the meaning of the dishes.

b. Beauty contest

In the spirit of “Every woman possesses her own hidden beauty,” instead of a contest to elect an “Office Belle,” a “Mr. Office” contest will get the ladies even more excited.
The “Mr. Office” contest will follow a standard format with 3 main parts: Beauty, Talent, and Interview, with the women serving as judges. For the Beauty portion, you can liven up the atmosphere with handsome men dressed in… women’s clothing. Let the women have fun doing makeup and choosing “battle” outfits for their department’s male representative. 
If appearance is a necessary condition, then inner substance is the essential factor in deciding the “Mr. Office” title. Therefore, after the Beauty portion, there should be a talent show and an interview round.
The interview questions can revolve around building and maintaining relationships within the organization, questions expressing views on gender equality, the role of women in modern society, etc. This is also a good time for everyone to share workplace issues that are rather difficult to talk about in daily life.

5. Hot pot/BBQ party 

Gathering around a hot pot/grill is not only a great way to celebrate the holiday but also helps strengthen friendships within the company. Nowadays, many restaurants offer buffet options that are incredibly diverse and abundant in both quantity and quality. Additionally, some venues accept event bookings, so depending on your budget, you can arrange for a stage, band, speakers, drums, or even fireworks to throw a spectacular party.

If you are concerned about food safety or don’t want the hassle of going to a restaurant, you can organize a potluck. A potluck can be understood as each person contributing a little something to the party. For example: the Customer Care department will marinate and prepare the meat; the Sales department will cover all kinds of vegetables and side dishes; the Marketing department will cover fruits and desserts; etc. A potluck can be a bit cumbersome and involve a lot of work, but in return, with the cost savings and beautiful memories it creates, it is an option worth considering. 

6. Performances and Cultural Exchange

This party idea is quite similar to an open mic night for members of the organization or company. The main goal is to have fun, so the professional quality of the performances isn’t important. Everyone is free to contribute performances like singing, dancing, acting, storytelling, etc., and the remaining time can be used for socializing over tea and snacks.

Conclusion

With the ideas above, we hope that those planning the company’s March 8th party will be able to create their desired event. Every idea needs to be considered and evaluated for feasibility in the most detailed way (organizational capacity, budget, personnel, etc.) to ensure it is the best fit for the company. You can also consider using work management software to make the organization process more scientific and efficient.

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