Happy Christmas!  Er, too soon? Well, yes and no…

Regardless of the actual date, many of us will be looking ahead and planning our annual Christmas bashes, so it's maybe a good time think about the pitfalls that can be involved – behaviour at Christmas parties, Secret Santa, who gets what days off, bonuses, the list is endless.

Now, regardless of (some) popular opinion, us HR people enjoy a good festive season as much as the rest of us.  But to make sure that everyone can enjoy it, here are a few things to think about:

Regardless of whether your party is held onsite or at a venue, if it is a Company organised event it IS a work's do – so you have responsibility for the safety of your employees and their behaviour to others (including any risk of sexual harassment).  Make sure you are clear on what is and isn't acceptable behaviour, and that everyone knows the rules.

If you are putting on food, think about things like dietary requirements and religious observances – you may not be able to please everyone, but you can avoid leaving people with nothing to eat…

Think about things like Secret Santa and Company gifts – not everyone wants alcohol or ‘humorously' shaped candles (you know what I mean), not everyone can afford extra gifts, and not everyone is interested in Christmas.  Just think about what you are doing, and what is appropriate for your organisation.

Are your employees expecting a Christmas bonus?  Now we know how the cost of living has affected both employees and businesses, so it might be difficult for you to pay one this year.  So you will need to check your contracts – if the bonus is discretionary, then you may be OK to not pay it, or pay less, but if it is contractual and employees have hit the criteria, then you do have to pay it.

And with the new legislation on preventing sexual harassment, you should also:

  • Complete a risk assessment – what you can you put in place to reduce the risk of Christmas fun turning into a New Year Nightmare?
  • Make sure your policies and procedures are up to date, and easily available for all
  • If you haven't held your training yet, get it done before the big event
  • Make it easy for people to come forward if they do have a complaint

If you need help with any of these issues, then you can just get in touch and I can help you out.

Oh, and remember to enjoy it!