Is it too early to mention the ‘C’ word? It might only be October but it’s likely many organisations are already thinking about their Christmas party or have booked it already.
The annual Christmas party is a great way to show employee appreciation, reward staff and boost morale. However, with organisations cutting back on costs and the risks of inappropriate behaviour that these celebrations can often present, is it time to rethink your end of year bash?
Whilst Christmas parties are not a thing of the past just yet, they are becoming less popular. There are a range of attitudes when it comes to taking personal time out to spend with colleagues. The younger generation are more aware of the impact alcohol can have on mental health issues so may choose to avoid a boozy work bash and arrange their own celebrations, and as the country is becoming more ethnically diverse, we should also remember that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
As we approach the festive season, it’s a good time to remind employers of the risks traditional work festivities can often present such as alcohol abuse, aggressive or threatening behaviour and sexual harassment, potentially leaving the organisation with a HR headache the next morning.
Indeed, in the case of Gimson v Display By Design Ltd [ET/1900336/2012], an employee punched a colleague in the face during an argument whilst walking home for their work Christmas party. Following an investigation and disciplinary hearing, the employee was dismissed for gross misconduct but claimed unfair dismissal, arguing that the incident did not happen at work and the punishment was too severe. The Employment Tribunal found that his dismissal was fair because the events after the Christmas party were sufficiently closely connected to work, and had they not been at the Christmas party, they would not have been together, and therefore the assault would not have happened.
If you’re looking to offer your employees something different this year, then look no further. EML has recently partnered with Diamond Wellbeing to provide exclusive, interactive wellbeing retreat days, a perfect replacement to bottles of wine and party hats!
Our bespoke packages accommodate up to 20 employees per session and are hosted at a choice of venues on a date that suits your organisation (depending on availability). Days are built around each organisation’s requirements, and activities may include sessions on Mindfulness, Grounding, and Self-Regulation, as well as discussion surrounding Curious Compassion and team building exercises to incorporate personality profiling, a valuable HR tool for organisations looking to transform their teams.
If you’d like to know more about our wellbeing retreat days, give the team a call on 01942 727200 or email enquiries@employeemanagement.co.uk for further information.