What is expected from employees?
- All employees should be encouraged to attend the party, including those who are on sickness leave, paternity, and maternity leave.
- Employees should dress appropriately for the event. Unless there is a dress theme, smart or smart casual is appropriate.
- Limit your alcohol consumption. As fun and celebrations prevail, people often lose sight of their intake levels. By limiting your alcohol intake, you will not become intoxicated and actually enjoy the event instead of becoming a mess, unruly, stumbling, falling over, injuring yourself or others, or generally becoming a nuisance to other revellers.
- Behave in a reasonable and respectable manner towards your work colleagues and others present. Do not get drawn into office gossip or banter. Inappropriate conduct, discussions, or comments towards colleagues or senior management can be misconduct matters, dealt with under the company’s disciplinary procedure. When in this situation, the best policy is to walk away.
- Do not discuss work or pay issues with colleagues or management. In fact, try to avoid talking ‘shop’. There are more suitable opportunities and venues for this. The Christmas party is not one of them.
- Don’t get ‘too friendly’. Inappropriate comments, advances, flirting and conduct towards work colleagues can be misunderstood or misinterpreted, and can amount to harassment under the company’s policies, and in extreme cases become a criminal matter.
- Avoid taking photos and videos and/or posting them on social media platforms without express authority of those concerned.
- Do not call in sick the next day. Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause issues the next morning. But this is not an acceptable reason to be absent. By limiting your consumption, you will not only enjoy the occasion but also remain fit for work the following morning. Absence due to excessive drinking can be a disciplinary matter
Employers and employees should embrace this event as an opportunity to treat each other as people rather than as employer and employee. It is a time of joy, happiness, and fun. By taking a few pre-party steps, such as reminding staff that they are "still at work" and employees following simple rules of behaviour, the event can be a fun-filled success, to be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, race, sex, nationality, etc.
This articles is intended for guidance purposes only. You are advised to call the Quest Helpline where HR experts can advise you on all your concerns at 01455 852 028
