Mistletoe and Whine

December 2007

Two-thirds of workers prefer to be anywhere but the Christmas work party

London, December 10, 2007 - HR experts Croner, part of Wolters Kluwer UK, are telling bosses to stop worrying about the dangers of the Christmas work party because almost two-thirds of workers (63%) would prefer not to be there anyway.

In a YouGov survey of 1,209 British workers commissioned by Croner, 43% of respondents said that work Christmas parties are okay but they would rather be somewhere else. Whilst one fifth of workers (20%) said that they are awful and they'd do anything to avoid it and if they do go they can't wait to leave.

The main reason for this un-festive behaviour is a reluctance to let their hair down with their work mates, with 41% of those that think Christmas parties are awful, preferring not to socialise with colleagues outside of work. Respondents also cited that they are reluctant to get involved in office gossip (11%), that it costs too much (12%) and that they have had bad experiences at Christmas work parties in the past (12%).

Jo Pitts, Employment Advisor at Croner says: "Employers have been stressing out over the last few years about the dangers of holding a Christmas party, but what the survey has highlighted is the fact that few employees these days enjoy them."

The findings of the survey also highlight that organised big Christmas work bashes are becoming a thing of the past. When asked what type of Christmas celebration/party employers should offer, just under a third (32%) said an organised company Christmas party.

Jo comments: "Calls to our helplines on work Christmas parties are increasingly relating not to the pitfalls of holding a party, but alternatives to organised events. Many businesses are now culturally diverse and big bashes may not appeal to the entire workforce.

"Employers wishing to thank their employees for their efforts throughout the year are looking for suitable alternatives which meet the needs of all employees.

"Departmental parties or offering set amounts of money to employees - say £20 - so that employees can celebrate with the colleagues they want to in a way that they want to, such as lunch in a local restaurant are just two examples.

"We would suggest that employers, where possible, liaise with their employees to find out what their preference would be and then look at what options are available which meet the needs and resources of the business."

Jo adds: "There is of course still a risk involved with these types of events, however common sense should prevail and if guidelines are pointed out well in advance – your Christmas celebration, if you and you're employees decide to have one, should be happy and trouble-free."

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