Work Christmas parties: HR risks employers should be aware of

Christmas is a busy time of year for HR. With office Christmas party planning underway, planned annual leave as well as absences, there is lots for businesses to be dealing with.

Getting bigger and better than ever as more business owners take a no expense spared approach to planning this highly anticipated annual event. 

Around 61% of businesses now allocate more than £150 per head for their office Christmas party!  According to SME Business News. Allowing for copious amounts of food, drink, and plenty of entertainment.

However, high volumes of alcohol combined with a lively social setting can lead to negative or unwelcome behaviour. From excessive drinking, to violence, arguments, and sexual harassment. There are concerns businesses should be aware of before planning Christmas parties.

Examples of gross misconduct at Christmas parties

With stomachs full of tasty food and minds slightly hazy after a few drinks, issues can occur. How you are prepared for, or equipped, to deal with these will have an impact on your business.

Examples of misconduct at the work Christmas party include:

• Alcohol abuse: Employees being intoxicated and drunk leading to other acts of gross misconduct

• Sexual harassment: This could include inappropriate touching of another colleague, verbal harassment, like making sexual remarks about a colleague’s clothing or body, as well as sending sexual messages online over social media.

•  Violent behaviour: Fighting and arguments often occurring due to high levels of intoxication

•  Damage to property: Businesses have a higher risk of business property being damaged or destroyed during work Christmas parties that involve the consumption of alcohol or raucous behaviour.

How you can prevent misconduct before it occurs

Stamping out bad behaviour before it occurs is one of the best ways to protect your business. HR issues surrounding the Christmas party or ‘work do’ can lead to HR headaches, which is certainly unwanted over the festive period.

Having office Christmas party rules in place is a fantastic way to prepare your employees for the social event. This ensures everyone is aware of their expected behaviour and conduct.

It’s best to put these in writing to make them clear, concise, and accessible to all.  Creating a policy for employee conduct at work-related events means these rules can apply across a variety of social and corporate events. Plus, with BrightHR’s unlimited document storage, you can keep these crucial HR documents secure but also accessible, whenever you need them.

Invitations and attendance expectations

It's important to extend your invitation to everyone in the company. However, individuals should not feel pressure or expectation to attend. There will be employees within your company who don’t feel comfortable in social settings or would prefer not to attend. Those who do not attend the Christmas party should not be unfairly treated by managers or other team members as a result.

This extends to drinking alcohol. Options for non-alcoholic beverages and activities that do not involve drinking alcohol should be available for non-drinkers. Ensuring the event is inclusive for all employees and guests.

Hosting parties outside of the office

Management and HR can choose to host work Christmas parties in hundreds of different settings. From inside the office to external premises. Whether you are planning a visit to the local pub, have booked a private room, or an extravagant team meal, most businesses choose to celebrate the festivities outside of office walls. Opting for a relaxed setting where employees can unwind and enjoy without thinking about their December to-do list.

Despite being away from the business premises, rules and company policy do still apply. Employees should be reminded that their behaviour at the Christmas party could trigger further investigations or disciplinary action.

Absences and lateness the morning after the night before 

Once it is all over, it’s common for businesses to experience a peak in sickness and absences post-party. According to Benefits and Pensions Monitor figures from 2022, businesses experienced a 61% increase in sickness rates following one of the most popular days for corporate Christmas festivities - December 9th.

As unexpected (or expected!) as these may be, it is important to anticipate, prepare and outline rules surrounding absences and calling in sick.

BrightHR software offers sick leave, staff absence, and lateness tracking so that you can stay on top of where your employees are, who's absent, and fill vacant shifts as quickly as possible.

Need HR support ahead of your Christmas work do?

It is a clever idea to get ahead. As the Christmas countdown begins there’s is no better time than now to arm yourself with the tools, information and support you need to prevent and manage HR issues at the work Christmas party.

Not a BrightHR customer? Find out more about our award-winning HR software, employment law services and advice line, get a price online and book your free demo today.