Ahh, the holidays are here again!
A time to be merry and to share special time with family. While this time of year is one of joy and
festivity, for employers it is also fraught with risk. This is because even the very best of intentions
for celebrating the holiday season at work can alienate, frustrate and – to be
honest – inebriate your employees.
There are a multitude of stories out there regarding office holiday
parties that have gone off the rails.
But that doesn’t mean you should avoid or even scale back a good
celebration. You just need to be careful
about it.
In an effort to help you avoid common holiday mishaps, here are some
tips to help you plan how to celebrate the season with your employees.
Planning Your Party – Large
formal evening events with spouses in tow have long been the standard for many
corporate holiday parties. But these
gatherings also can be met with dread (especially when alcohol is involved). Instead, consider a smaller, more personal
event that facilitates more meaningful communication and celebration. This fits
nicely within a limited budget as well.
Consider giving employees a chance to suggest what format would be most
meaningful to them, such as day versus evening events, with or without family. We love a party with skits and games that
provide opportunities for employees to play and break the ice in a safe and
comfortable setting. We’ve had good
success with games such as the White Elephant gift exchange, office talent
shows, office treasure hunts and holiday pot-luck meals. Volunteer days and an
event in the owner or a manager’s home can be nice, as well.
Booze – Yikes. Let’s face it, it’s never a good thing for
someone to be drunk at a work party. Not
only can it create embarrassment, it can lead to much more serious employee
encounters which, believe us, can create a mess that you don’t want to have to
deal with. Some companies have an
established culture that includes an open bar at the annual holiday event. Others are moving away from alcohol to avoid
embarrassing incidents or to support those who do not imbibe. If you’re looking to move beyond the bottle,
one way to do it is to have a holiday lunch party instead of an evening
event. And if an evening affair is held, have the bar
open only for a specific period of time (say 5:00 to 7:00 pm). And if you choose to have alcohol at your
party, a word of advice: be the role
model and don’t over-indulge.
Family – The holidays, no matter how you celebrate, are a family
time. But the definition of what
constitutes a family is very broad. For
some, their most important relationship could be with a friend or a distant
relative. As you gather to show your
appreciation of your employees’ hard work and their contribution to your
collective success, we would suggest being as flexible as possible in your
definition of who they may be permitted to bring as their guest.
Different Celebrations – As
our nation and workforce become increasingly diverse, it is important to
remember that not everyone celebrates the same holidays or in the same way. Ask your employees what holidays they
celebrate and consider how those can be incorporated into the company’s
festivities. Consider celebrating your
staff’s religious diversity by asking employees to share an aspect of their
faith or culture (food, decoration, tradition, etc.) that is part of their
holiday celebration. Doing so can create
a meaningful exchange both enriching and fun for the whole team.
Gifts for Employees – Some
companies like to provide a token of appreciation to employees. This is almost always appreciated by
employees no matter how big or small. That’s why Secret Santa and White Elephant
games are always fun – they transform the gift exchange into a fun, relaxed
experience. If you are looking to create
a gift experience that is a little different from the norm, consider giving
charitable gift cards or donations in an employee’s name. We love TisBest gift cards (www.tisbest.org) because they enable
employees to make charitable donation to the non-profit organization of their
choosing. In our experience, employees very much appreciate receiving this “gift
of giving.”
Give Thanks – Regardless of
one’s faith or tradition, the holidays represent the perfect time to give
thanks to your employees and business partners.
Don’t substitute gift-giving for the opportunity to talk directly with
each employee about what you appreciate in them and their service. They will remember what you say long after
they have forgotten what the gift was.
The Golden Rule – This is the time of year when
everyone is busy and facing the same work-life pressures. Now is not the time
to play favorites. If you treat
individuals differently, in terms of leave, flex time, etc., it will create
un-needed tensions between individuals or departments.
So be nice, be fair, have fun, and don’t over-imbibe – these are our
best suggestions to help you and your employees celebrate the holiday season in
a safe and supportive environment. Happy holidays to you from your partners at
Affinity HR Group!
By Claudia St. John, SPHR, President of Affinity HR Group, LLC
