After we have spent the past couple of years living in the shadow of Covid-19, which meant the Christmas Party was cancelled, many employers have decided that 2022 will be the year that they return.
Not to be the bah humbug here, but we thought we would just remind you of some do’s and don’ts in readiness for the festive celebrations. Before we go in to this, just another little reminder that employers can be held vicariously liable for the actions of its staff at the Christmas party. In order to safeguard your staff and your business, it is important to remind staff before the party what you expect from them. If you have an Harassment Policy and Social Media Policy please remind them if they breach this then they will be subject to disciplinary action.
| The Do’s | And the Don’ts |
| Alcohol plays a big part at the Christmas party, however not everyone drinks alcohol. This may be due to religious beliefs, pregnancy, personal choice and not forgetting employees who are under the age of 18. Make sure there are soft drinks available. | A free bar can spell disaster with many staff ordering spirits that they may not be used to drinking. If you are providing alcohol, it is advisable to set this to a certain number of drinks and this could be limited to beer, lager and wine. |
| Ensure that staff have a way of getting home safely. If alcohol is going to play a part in the evening and the party will run late into the night, make sure that transport arrangements are made prior to the party. | Do not assume everyone can attend. Some employees may not be able to attend due to childcare reasons or for religious or cultural beliefs. If staff are not attending, they should not feel pressurised to attend.
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| Do consider timing and location. Some people may not be able to attend due to childcare. You may want to consider holding the party at a different time such as an earlier start or during office hours in order that they can attend. You should also consider any staff with disabilities to ensure that they can access the venue and are able to get to and from the venue. | Don’t allow staff to get carried away with social media. You may want to prohibit staff posting on both personal and especially business social media accounts.
Some posts may cause embarrassment to staff in an unflattering photograph is taken of them, and it may not show the business and staff in the best light to customers. In addition, there may be some staff members that do not post their photo online for personal reasons, this should be respected. |
| If the Christmas party is taking place on a school night, please make sure that staff are aware that they have to attend work the next day. Let them know how lateness or absenteeism will be dealt with and make sure the same stance is taken in each department. |
Now that we have put a dampener on your Christmas Party, if you do have any questions or want some further guidance before the party takes place, please contact us for advice on [email protected]