Love it or loathe it, the Christmas party is a staple in any company’s calendar. It comes around but once a year, but boy does it leave its mark…
You can probably handle a few broken glasses, a dented photocopier and the ‘impossible to eradicate’ vol au vent pastry flakes ground into the boardroom carpet, but there are certain things that just don’t need to go down in your company history.
Done right, your Christmas party can be a great way to bring everyone together to celebrate, and a good old thank you for all their hard work and effort. Do it badly and you can end up with debilitating hangovers, disciplinary cases, unexplainable injuries… or even worse!
Give you and your team the perfect Secret Santa gift this year by looking out for their well-being, both physically and emotionally. Take steps to stay savvy and safe in the party season with these handy hints and tips.
- What & When. Consult your staff about ideas and dates. You can’t please everyone, but you can get a good idea of what people might enjoy and when they are best placed to enjoy it. Not everyone wants the traditional boozy blowout and you might be surprised at some of the results. You might think that holding the party on a Friday reduces the number of ‘lost-time hours’ caused by late nights and hangovers, but some people might resent giving up their weekend or family time. You might find that you can avoid some of the usual headaches (both literal and metaphorical) and reduce the risks, simply by changing the offer.
(We know we probably should have told you this one in June, but maybe you can file it away and save it for next year!)
- Be sensitive. Remember that Christmas can be a difficult or stressful time for some people. Make sure you let people know that attendance is optional. Not everyone wants (or is able) to party. It doesn’t mean they are not part of the team.
- Be inclusive. Avoid organising activities that might exclude certain parts of the workforce. And make sure everyone gets an invite, including satellite workers or those not on email.
- Time to party. Think about timings. You can’t control what people do after the party but an earlier finish may give them more time to recover before work the next day.
- Drinking and Driving. Make sure your workforce has access to information about alcohol consumption and legal driving limits. Not everyone is aware of what they can and can’t do. You’ll find that most people are shocked by the real facts. Work with your comms team to find the best way of circulating the message. You want to be increasing awareness in a helpful way, not behaving like Big Brother.
- A change from the norm. A party doesn’t have to be a booze fuelled bonanza. If your staff have to be up early the next day or just aren’t big drinkers, why not try an alternative activity or outing. Try a golfing session, a football game, a comedy show, spa day or karting – the possibilities are endless and can have many positive benefits.
- Food, glorious food. If you do go down the route of a traditional office party, consider including a meal beforehand to soak up the alcohol and allow your staff to pace themselves. Food can also add structure to the evening.
- Home, James. Think about travel options for getting home safely. Can you provide overnight accommodation, coaches or taxis? If the budget doesn’t stretch that far, consider publicising a lift share scheme in private cars or taxis so team members can avoid travelling home alone on public transport.
- No pictures, please! Remind your workforce about your social media policy. A gentle nudge to say that the usual rules apply may save them (and you) a lot of stress in the long term. No-one needs to see ‘unexpected’ videos of themselves on YouTube or Facebook the next morning.
- Find the right balance. As with anything, you need to hit the right note. You can’t control how your staff behave but you can create the right parameters and situations so that the risks are managed. Work with your staff to come up with a suitable way to celebrate and then say a silent prayer to the party gods that it happens just once a year!
For information on alcohol awareness, general health surveillance schemes or related support services, please contact us today on 01228 513687. Please note: Party planning services are not included!