Work Christmas parties are back on the agenda in 2022!

There are many benefits to having an 'in person' work Christmas party.

It is an ideal opportunity for colleagues to get together in a relaxed setting, and to appreciate and celebrate team and individual success.

However, there are risks to consider for both employers and employees.

The key to holding a successful Christmas event mirrors that of a successful team and workplace. It takes a combination of good knowledge of employer rights and responsibilities, sound policies and training, a positive workplace culture, good planning and communication. Your Christmas event is a coming together of your team and workplace strategy, for better or for worse.

To make it a successful event, it's important for employers to know their responsibilities and plan early and carefully.

Employer rights and responsibilities

Employers are likely to be responsible and liable for the event as they have a duty of care to their staff. Think carefully about health and safety at the venue and acceptable behaviours. Offering a free bar could be popular, however by providing this, will you be exposing yourself to bad behaviour and claims against the business caused by excessive drinking? Think about the time and location of the event; how easy is it for staff to get there and home, is it accessible for disabled team members and suitable for all groups and beliefs?

Think about your event as an extension of your workplace in terms of your responsibilities and set expectations accordingly. Communicate this clearly. Employees may be thinking that this is a night out, outside of office hours and in a completely different location, so they are not obliged to behave as though they are at work. Although you don't want your Christmas party to feel like a normal working day, in some respects the boundaries must be the same.

Getting the balance right as an employer

A careful balance is key. It's important to think carefully about where you're responsible for as an employer, but also think about on the night, trying to work ahead and make sure that if you've got any potential issues that could arise, they are avoided. Prime your managers to keep a watchful eye and diffuse any situations. Look out for any unusual or unreasonable behaviour and look after all staff on the night. It is no surprise that many HR managers are super vigilant and drink little alcohol at work Christmas events.

It is reasonable to say, as an employer, "I'm liable, therefore the same rules apply as in the office", however there is a balance to consider in terms of communicating expectations and setting the scene for a great event.

Good policies, procedures and staff training are vital to protect you

You want to avoid discrimination claims, so it's important you have effective policies in place and staff are trained on them to help you achieve that. Employers are liable for what the employees do if they, for example, sexually harass another colleague at an event. Without policies and training being done, the employer will not be able to defend their push to avoid that liability. Many employers have effective policies in place but don't train staff. This will still expose an employer to liability for their employees acts or omissions.

Evolving workplace culture presenting new Christmas event challenges

Workplace culture is evolving, which presents new challenges. Hybrid working and the ongoing rise in social media usage means that people are not engaging in person on a daily basis. People chat on social media regularly, where strong opinions and beliefs can be validated. Tensions and misunderstandings can be heightened, and this can spill over when people meet in person and have a few drinks. Training managers to deal with this shift in workplace culture and communication is critical, but it's also important to keep this shift in mind when planning and hosting work events.

Multi-generational differences and the needs of different personality types

You also need to allow for the needs of different personality types.

The more outgoing types may be bombarding managers with requests for a wild night with a free bar. There may be another group quietly reacting with horror at this prospect and much more likely to want to attend a different type of event, perhaps held during the day. A compromise event may be needed. Staff surveys can help you identify what the majority would like to do.

It is important to also consider multi-generational differences in the workplace and different expectations in terms of behaviour and language use. Sound policies in place and evidence of up-to-date diversity and equal opportunities training again is vital. An awareness of the different understanding and expectations of different generations will help to create mutual respect and avoid flashpoints being created from outdated and unacceptable language being used, for example.

Think about your team and their individual needs and expectations

It is vital to think about your team as a group of individuals with different needs and consider each separately. Individuals have expectations of their needs being accounted for, more so than before COVID. It is also harder to keep track and chat individually in a remote setting, so problems and anxieties can be missed. Talking to each team member will highlight needs and anxieties and enable you to tailor a Christmas event accordingly, providing facilities for anyone with specific disabilities, suggesting a daytime event to allay anxieties perhaps and ensuring the venue meets travel needs.

Allow for anxiety post-covid

For some, there is a feeling of anxiety post-COVID about meeting in person post-COVID and possibly being exposed to COVID at a Christmas event. There is more anxiety about being in crowded areas as people are currently less accustomed to this. Ensure that managers do regular check-ins with team members to monitor and allay anxiety as far as possible. Perhaps encourage team members to work at the workplace more regularly before the event. These measures will be key, together with clarity around the event details.

Good planning and communication

Good planning and communication is vital. Set out your plan for the event and how you want it to go. Set expectations around alcohol.

Two-way conversations before the event, with management support and vigilance on the night, will not only avoid flashpoints and conflict but enhance engagement and motivation with staff, ensuring that everyone is able to enjoy a great event. Talk to anyone who can't make the event to ensure there are no hidden issues or anxieties that they may need support with, or reservations about attending the planned event.

The Christmas event stakes are high this year, however the potential benefits in terms of employee engagement and motivation are enormous.

With a great workplace strategy, good understanding of employer obligations and clear policies in place, good planning and two-way communication with staff, employers can provide a great event, appreciate the staff and reap the benefits in terms of motivation and productivity in the year to come. The culmination of a good ongoing workplace strategy will be a great Christmas Event and a successful 2023.

To find out more, please visit www.lochassociates.co.uk