Updated October 2024
Office Christmas parties are nothing if not a contentious subject. For some, they are the highlight of the work year – for others they are simply a source of stress. From the pressure of having to meet in a large crowd to worrying about how to behave and even how to travel – plenty of concerns can arise.
As an employer, it can be even more difficult. You want to plan something that will reward your employees and remind them how much you value them. But you also have a duty of care to protect your team at any work function, even the Christmas party.
No employer wants to ruin their holiday party with heavy-handed rules or restrictions. But certain steps will make your office Christmas party safer and more enjoyable. Some of these steps count as common sense, while others might take some effort.
Either way, if you’re looking to plan a Christmas celebration that your employees will remember, here are our tips for making sure your Christmas party is festive, fun and still safe!
When it comes to employee morale, Christmas time is a fantastic opportunity. Handled sensitively and effectively, it offers a chance to hold team-building activities, give staff rewards and generally boost the wellbeing of your employees in a way that feels completely natural.
While the office Christmas party is the obvious choice for celebrating the holiday period, you don’t have to restrict your celebrations to the holiday party itself. There are plenty of other activities you can arrange or encourage, to make the Christmas cheer stretch even further.
For example, you can:
A clearly planned Christmas party is a great way to show your team how you value them and reward them for the hard work they put in all year round. Avoid scrimping too much, certainly don’t ask employees to stump up extravagant costs themselves, and try to decide on something that will appeal to a diverse and inclusive team.
Once you’ve got your Christmas party planning hat on, it’s important to make sure the event is as safe as it is fun. Here are our suggestions to help make that happen.
Even if your party is held outside of work hours, you still have a duty of care to your employees during a work Christmas party.
This means you need to make a comprehensive health and safety risk assessment for the venue and any Christmas games you plan.
If your Christmas party is held at an external venue, like a club or activity centre, they will likely be able to offer some support with this. However, if you are planning a Christmas party at your own office, you will need to do it yourself.
If you don’t feel qualified to conduct this kind of safety assessment yourself, you can always engage an outside company to run it for you. Here at DBOCC, we can visit your company to make on-site risk assessments and give advice on ways to make it safer.
Your duty of care to your employees doesn’t end when they step out into the icy December air either. Morally, and often legally, you need to play your part in getting them home safely as well.
Depending on the location of your venue, expecting people to rely on public transport might compromise their safety. Particularly if it is late at night.
Putting on your own transport is always the best option where possible. If you select an out-of-the-way party venue, then getting your team back to more populated areas so they can access public transport is important.
Many aspects of Christmas party costs (including transport costs) can even be counted as tax-free benefits, so don’t rule out this important safety step due to money. Explore the options and push this high on the priority list to make sure everyone can have the most wonderful time and still get home safely.
It is important that every employee feels comfortable and able to enjoy themselves. For some, this will mean having a drink (or two!). However, safety is always going to take a knock when alcohol is involved.
Trying to limit alcohol consumption completely may not go down well. A better way to minimise the risks is by encouraging sensible drinking by providing food and non-alcoholic options too.
Any workplace party should provide plenty of interesting non-alcoholic beverages. Mocktails, soft drinks and alcohol-free beer will give people tasty alternatives to tempt them away from too many tipples.
This is also an important option from an inclusivity standpoint too, as obviously many people don’t drink alcohol for cultural or personal reasons. A wide choice of non-alcoholic drinks will make sure everybody feels included.
Where alcohol is provided, you should also provide food. Don’t cut costs with pathetic portions either. Help your employees line their stomachs so they can stay in control.
In many ways, this will go hand in hand with avoiding abuse of alcohol. However, you shouldn’t rely on that alone to keep your guests to good behaviour.
The best way to make sure people don’t push boundaries or behave badly is to make sure they are aware of what is and isn’t acceptable. Before the event, take time to remind employees of your HR policies. Send out policy reminders, encourage re-reading and even run refresher training with a company-specific slant so that’s fresh in their minds.
Sexual harassment, discrimination and bullying policies should be clear before the party starts. Make sure that every person is aware that they will be held to the same expectations as party guests as they are in the office.
Set out clear guidelines and boundaries. Make the consequences equally clear. This should help save your HR department from fielding complaints come the new year.
One way to keep your staff safe this holiday season is with a virtual office party. While social distancing might feel relegated to the past, the safety benefits of a virtual run are more than just reducing the chances of transmitting viruses. By ‘partying’ from home, you also lower the risk of accidents before, after and during the party by removing the journey. This can be even more welcome if people will be drinking alcohol.
However, people are fatigued with the idea of virtual parties, so if you’re going down this path you’ll have to put extra effort in to make sure it’s fun. A Zoom meeting with added snacks and party hats isn’t going to cut it. You need fresh ideas and a plan for something special.
Throw something interactive, like a virtual scavenger hunt, escape room or trivia night. This will give guests something to actually do beyond making small talk, something to bring your employees together albeit virtually. If you think your team is a bit too introverted for games then hosting a movie watchalong is a great way to take the stress off.
Another must is to arrange food and drinks – large-scale events are usually catered and making sure your virtual office party has refreshments will help it feel more like a party and less like a corporate meeting with an informal dress code. Find a restaurant with national coverage and you can make sure all your guests get to enjoy the same food – another way to bring them together!
If the thought of planning a company event like a Christmas party feels too intimidating to tackle alone, we are here to support you. From helping you carry out a pre-party risk assessment to checking your team are in the best of health for the seasonal celebrations, talk to us today to find out how we can help you give your team a safe Christmas party.
Tell us your name and number below and we'll give you a callback to discuss your requirements.