The office Christmas party: HR advice for employers

The festive season is a great time to let your hair down and celebrate the year’s achievements. But if you’re not careful, work socials can be an HR minefield for employers…

Remember, work functions like the office Christmas party are an extension of the workplace. Under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015, it’s your responsibility to protect your employees from harassment and create a safe environment for everyone.

To keep your office party both merry and mishap-free, there are a few things you can do to keep festive and compliant…

Set clear expectations

Before the party, communicate your expectations to all employees. Remind them of your code of conduct and the importance of respectful behaviour. A friendly email or a quick meeting usually does the trick!

Even the jolliest of Christmas parties can take a turn for the worse if boundaries aren’t respected. Gross misconduct at a Christmas party can lead to serious consequences for both employers and employees.

Gross misconduct is behaviour that is so severe it justifies immediate dismissal. At an office Christmas party, it’s important to know what constitutes it so you can act accordingly:

• Harassment—Any form of behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated, degraded, or humiliated.
• Excessive drinking—Alcohol lowers inhibitions and frequently encourages behaviour that sober employees would not necessarily engage in
• Violence or aggression—Not only very much against the holiday spirit, but also completely unacceptable
• Drug use—Any use of an illegal substance is strictly prohibited

Failure to address any of these issues can lead to significant repercussions. Not only can it lead to legal actions within your company, but it can also severely damage your reputation and morale within your team.

Setting clear expectations for conduct ahead of the event will make sure you show you have a zero-tolerance approach to any of the above behaviour.

Remind staff of their obligations and circulate any relevant policies under your Employee Handbook. This might include your policies on social media, intoxication at work, absences, and a reminder that anyone who behaves inappropriately will be subject to disciplinary action.

Plan for safe transportation

Arrange for safe transportation options to ensure everyone gets home safely. Consider organising a shuttle service or providing taxi vouchers. This not only helps show you care about your employees' wellbeing, but it will also ease your mind from a safety perspective. Transport can help reduce the chance of accidents or incidents, especially if your venue is located in a more remote area, or if other transportation is limited due to the time of night.

Popular ridesharing apps offer convenient options, and arranging for a corporate account or providing promo codes to your employees can make it much safer. It also helps prevent drink driving, which is not only illegal but highly dangerous.

Doing this helps you rest easy knowing you’ve done everything you can to keep the evening safe and enjoyable for everyone. After all, the goal is to make sure the only thing your employees take home from the party are good memories and maybe some left over mince pies…

Encourage responsible drinking

While it’s fine to enjoy a few drinks, encourage moderation. Make sure there’s enough food to go around. You may even want to consider limiting the number of free drinks.

Keep in mind employees have to be over 18 to consume alcohol and not all employees will want alcoholic drinks, so it's worth making sure there are options available to suit everyone.

When you’re at the event, it’s important to keep an eye on things. Have a few trusted staff members monitor behaviour, helping address any issues that arise and making sure everyone is having a good time.

Finally, have a plan in place for addressing any incidents of misconduct. Have someone ready to handle complaints or diffuse situations should they become a problem.

Need more HR support ahead of your Christmas do?

Unlike Santa, HR is not a topic that comes around once a year and then disappears!

With so many employee issues that can arise, it’s important to arm yourself with the right employment law advice.

With unlimited, round-the-clock advice and a comprehensive HR document library, BrightAdvice is the ultimate tool for keeping your business compliant and protected.

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