By Sallie Biittner, Executive Consultant, Affinity HR Group<\/p>\n
\u2018Tis the season for holiday parties, gift exchanges, year-end bonuses, ringing out the old and welcoming the new.\u00a0 It is a time of enormous opportunity to do good, but also of enormous risk that the best intentions can come back to haunt you like Marley\u2019s ghost.\u00a0 And misfires during the holiday season can leave a most lasting impression of any.<\/p>\n
Claudia St. John, president of Affinity HR Group, remembers her very first office party as a young professional. \u00a0\u201cThe mail room was transformed into a low-lit den with loud pulsing music.\u00a0 Some of my\u00a0 professional coworkers were drinking with abandon and suggestively dancing with each other \u2013 in not such a great way.\u00a0 As I recall, one of the secretaries danced on top of an expensive copying machine, only to fall, throw up and call in sick the next day. It still gives me the creeps just thinking about it.\u201c<\/p>\n
I myself recall a gift exchange that went awry at the facility where I was the head of human resources.\u00a0 \u00a0One year we gave out frozen turkeys \u2013 700 of them.\u00a0 But we forgot to order bags to carry them in.\u00a0 Imagine hundreds of people holding 15 lb. frozen turkeys while trying to have a good time.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never forget the sight of people dropping them in the parking lot on the long trek out to their cars!<\/p>\n
In an effort to help you avoid any holiday mishaps, we\u2019ve put our collective experiences together and compiled some helpful tips for you as you plan how to celebrate the season with your employees.<\/p>\n
Need a Big Party?<\/strong>\u00a0 Organizations tend to be towards more personal events that allow for more meaningful communication and celebration. This fits nicely within a budget as well. Very large companies are starting to substitute the big corporate bash for departmental celebrations of their own choosing.\u00a0 Consider giving employees a chance to suggest what format would be most meaningful to them.\u00a0 You may be surprised. A catered event in the owner or a manager\u2019s home is always a nice, personal touch.<\/p>\n Alcohol or No?<\/strong> Whether or not to serve alcohol at a company function can be a difficult decision for business owners. Some companies have an established culture where they are used to having it as part of the annual holiday event.\u00a0 Others are moving away from alcohol to avoid embarrassing events or to support those who do not to consume.\u00a0\u00a0 Holiday lunch parties are a great alternative and can usually avoid the question of alcohol altogether.\u00a0 And if an evening affair is held, have a hard-end date (say 5:00 to 7:00 pm). If you choose to invite alcohol to your party, a word of advice:\u00a0 be the role model and indulge moderately and advise those who manage others to do the same.<\/p>\n Think Family<\/strong>\u00a0 The holidays, no matter how you celebrate, are a family time.\u00a0 As you gather to show your appreciation of your employees\u2019 hard work and their contribution to your collective success, be sure to include appreciation of employees\u2019 families and the role their support has played.\u00a0 Consider buying gifts for your employee\u2019s children as a holiday gift \u2013 it\u2019s a nice act that the whole family can enjoy.<\/p>\n Different Celebrations are Involved<\/strong>\u00a0 As we become a more diverse nation and workforce, it is important to remember that not everyone celebrates the same type of holiday or in the same way.\u00a0 In your messaging, both written and verbal, choose inclusive language that emphasizes the time of year as one to reflect, appreciate and acknowledge people\u2019s contributions. Some businesses encourage diversity by asking employees of different faiths or cultures to bring in food or decorations that commemorate their holiday season so that all can be enriched.<\/p>\n Gifts for Employees<\/strong> Some companies like to provide a token of appreciation to employees.\u00a0 This is almost always appreciated by employees no matter how big or small.\u00a0 But don\u2019t substitute gift-giving for the opportunity to talk directly with each employee about what you appreciate in them and their service.\u00a0 They will remember what you say long after they have forgotten what the gift was. Two great gift ideas are giving presents to employees\u2019 children or a \u2018Tis Best gift card that enables employees to make a charitable donation to the non-profit organization of their choosing.\u00a0 In our experience, employees very much appreciate receiving this \u201cgift of giving.\u201d<\/p>\n IRS Gift Implications<\/strong> In considering employee gifts, keep in mind the IRS De Minimis rule <\/em>that considers a taxable benefit any gifts that are considered of significant market value or are cash or cash equivalent in any amount (such as a gift card). A general, and safe rule of thumb is to keep the value of the gift in the $25 range.\u00a0 A turkey or ham is not considered taxable but don\u2019t forget bags to put them in!<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Break the Rules<\/strong> This is the time of year when everyone is busy and facing the same work-life pressures. If you treat individuals differently, in terms of leave, flex time, etc, it will create un-needed tensions between individuals or departments.<\/p>\n We hope these suggestions will help you and your employees celebrate the holiday season in a safe and supportive environment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Happy holidays to you from your partners at Affinity HR Group!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Sallie Biittner, Executive Consultant, Affinity HR Group \u2018Tis the season for holiday parties, gift exchanges, year-end bonuses, ringing out the old and welcoming the new.\u00a0 It is a time of enormous opportunity to do good, but also of enormous risk that the best intentions can come back to haunt you like Marley\u2019s ghost.\u00a0 And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n