I saw Tammy in Accounts Receivable Kissing Santa Claus!
The holiday season is upon us, and with it come the company-sponsored holiday parties! These parties can be great team-building events, but they can quickly spiral out control into full blown lawsuits & sexual harassment claims. Keep your holiday party on the level, and avoid the holiday hang-over from a night that both your organization and employees will regret & wish to forget.
HR Downloads will help you and your employees keep the coal out of your stockings and avoid the holiday massacre! Follow our party planning dos and don’ts.
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Action Plan
- Insurance - Check your office insurance policies for information on alcohol-related events. Your organization may be liable for accidents that stem from the intake of alcohol at your event. Make sure you are completely aware of your policy coverage for this event, and plan accordingly.
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Religion – Try to keep your event as religion-neutral as possible. As the holiday season applies to many different religions, avoid focusing on one, and allow freedom of religious expression for your employees, within reason. Remember that not everyone celebrates Christmas, so stick to a generic “Happy Holidays” greeting.
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Attendance – If your holiday party is a mandatory event for employees, be aware that you may need to pay them for their attendance. We recommend making attendance at the event strictly voluntary. Avoid pressuring employees to attend, as they may be reluctant for personal reasons, e.g. recovering alcoholic, Jehovah’s Witness, etc.
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Time and Date – If your holiday party is held off-site, it should be held outside of regular working hours. Holding your event on a week-night, with scheduled work the next day may help your employees avoid excessive alcohol-intake, as they will need to be prepared for work the next day. Your employees might not like the idea, but you can avoid problems, and save money on alcohol!
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Location – If at all possible, your event should be held outside of the office, at a local restaurant, bar or hotel. The location should have an area that can be used for dancing/mingling, and the space required for a bar, and food.
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Alcohol – Avoid offering an open-bar. An open bar invites danger by implying that alcohol will flow freely, and should be taken in large amounts. Excessive drinking may lead to embarrassing behavior, and even sexual-harassment lawsuits. A much better idea is to give each attendee a limited number of drink tickets — two is a good number. Some organizations allow an open-bar for the first hour of the event, a “cocktail hour”. It is always wise to stop serving alcohol an hour or two prior to the scheduled end of the event. Also, you should hire a licensed bartender that will ensure your employees are not over-served.
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Food and Drink – Be sure to offer non-alcoholic beverages, and food for your event. If alcohol is present, then food will be required to help negate the effects by soaking it up. Consider asking your employees if they have any special requirements or allergies.
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Transportation – If your event includes alcohol, be sure to communicate to your employees that drinking and driving is strictly prohibited, and consider providing either designated drivers, hotel room vouchers or discounted/paid cab rides home. If your event is located at a hotel, consider reserving a block of rooms for the use of employees.
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Entertainment – Consider employing a DJ or band for the event to keep things sociable, and avoid talking about business all night long. Remember that this is a party, not a meeting!
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Communicate - Well before the date of the event, publish the time and place, the highlights, and the rules or expectations. Include the starting and ending times of the event, so that everyone knows when to go home. Rules on guests should be explicit, and determine if spouses and children are welcome. Expectations of conduct becoming to the workplace should be clarified, as well as cautions to drink responsibly. Emphasize that attendance is strictly voluntary, not mandatory.
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Behaviour – As it is a company-sponsored event, remind employees that their behavior is reflective not only on themselves, but also the organization as a whole. In the event that a problem arises, disciplinary measures may be required. HR Downloads’ Standards of Conduct and Progressive Discipline Policy will assist your organization with a set of consistent disciplinary rules, regulations, policy and procedures for company-wide governance.
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Final Thought
Holiday parties are a great way to unwind, mingle with employees and thank them for their hard work with a night of food, music and drinks. With careful planning, your event can keep everyone happy, and keep workplace fiascos to a minimum. Happy Holidays from HR Downloads!