Christmas Party – Know your limits

23 November 2018

With Halloween out of the way it really is all about Christmas now! It’s that time of year when everyone is feeling festive, on the final countdown and with most employers, the works Christmas party planning will already in full swing if not already planned and booked. Most employers however generally end up with a hangover in January rather than capitalizing on the boost the party should give to it employees.

By now most employers will have already selected their venues, themes and dates for the party. It’s always important to make sure any party you hold is relevant to the majority of your staff otherwise you will simply be wasting your money. Let’s face it, you are never going to make everyone happy but whatever you do always ensure to invite all staff to the party.

So the date is now set, your employees know what to wear, dietary requirements are taken care of now time to make sure your staff know what is expected of them. During the festive season most employers end with various issues ranging from harassment, arguments (generally work related!), drunken behaviour, using illegal substances, fights and the cliché office affair. So what should you be doing about it now?

Now would be the time for the office handbook to be pulled out and ensuring your polices are in place, clear and more importantly sending reminders from HR to your employees reminding them of their behavior away from the office, ensuring they are referred back to and reminded of your policies. Don’t be scared of being called scrooge for doing so – you are simply reinforcing what your employees should already be aware of.

Despite your best attempts things can and often do go wrong. Don’t stress and do not sack anyone on the spot – now is the time to follow your policies and enforce as necessary. Make sure to note down what has happened at the time, chances are you will not be dealing with the matter for a few weeks yet and always ensure common sense approaches are taken.

Office parties are not all just about drinking the bar dry – use the event as a team building exercise and possibly as an awards ceremony to thank your employees for all their hard work over the past year. Whatever happens though avoid hanging mistletoe – that’s just asking for trouble!