For many businesses, the office Christmas party is one of the dates most looked forward to in the calendar.
As an employer it is a way for you to thank your team for their efforts over the year, nurture team-building as you bring everyone together, and have fun yourself. And for your employees, they look forward to a night out with work chums, normally paid for by the company.
For all the fun that is had though, one survey conducted a few years ago found that one in ten people had been disciplined or even dismissed for misbehaving at the office Christmas party. Another 8% had handed in their notice after feeling they could no longer work with their colleagues (whether that was due to their own behaviour or a co-worker’s is unclear!).
Left unchecked, and especially if fuelled by too much alcohol, there is a heightened risk of:
- Excessive drinking or drug use
- Arguments or fighting
- Harassment or sexual harassment
- Damage to property
- Drink driving
- Social media misuse
- People not getting home safely
- Unauthorised absence the following day
The good news is, though, that with a bit of preparation you can significantly reduce the risk of any of these things happening.
Check your policies
The first thing to do is check that you have up-to-date disciplinary and grievance policies, as these underpin how you handle complaints, misconduct and gross misconduct. The recently introduced Worker Protection Act puts heightened responsibility on you to prevent harassment and sexual harassment. It came into force in October, so make sure it is reflected in your policies.
Many companies are choosing to run training to educate staff and aid their compliance with this law. We have a popular eLearning course which you can ask us about.
Set expectations
Some staff may not realise it because of the change of setting, but such parties are an extension of the workplace and so are still subject to the same rules. By informing everyone of this in writing before the party it will act as a strong deterrent to stepping out of line – and certainly no one can plead ignorance in the aftermath of any trouble.
Encouraging fun, but moderation when it comes to alcohol; reminding people about the risks of drink driving, and getting home safely are key messages. Perhaps some people may agree to be designated drivers. Remind people that if they want a day off the next day, it should be booked as annual leave (if it is available to them) and that unauthorised absence is not acceptable.
Posting something inappropriate on social media which brings the company into disrepute is a 364-day risk, but could be more likely to happen if people get carried away at the Christmas party.
On the night
Get the balance right yourself between facilitating a good time for everyone but not encouraging excessive drinking. As part of this, but also for people who don’t drink, make sure soft drinks are available. We’d recommend having one senior person who stays sober and can monitor behaviour in real time.
Keep in mind your own conduct too. There has been many an occasion when a boss who has had too much drink has promised a pay rise which they went on to regret!
Have fun!
From everyone at The HR Dept, we hope you have fun on your Christmas party; and by following the above tips you will be well on the way to keeping trouble to a minimum. If you need advice on a particular HR issue pre- or post-party, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
