When a Merry Christmas goes too far..!

By lined to Joe Roberts, manager, Sellick Partnership, Newcastle.

With Christmas fast approaching, most of us are getting in the mood for Christmas party celebrations. But a recent Sellick Partnership survey has revealed that a quarter of employers find Christmas parties leave them with a headache ñ and not just the hangover sort!

Employers are increasingly concerned that too much political correctness dampens the Christmas spirit. As well as the stress of organising the event, employers can now be held liable if they fail to protect staff from harassment or discrimination, with as many as 81 per cent of employers having received official complaints after a work party. In light of this, it is important that as well as enjoying the festive season, companies bear in mind a number of crucial issues.

Religious discrimination has been a hot topic this year. As such, employers shouldnít insist that all staff take part in the festive celebrations, since some religions do not celebrate Christmas. For those that do opt in, it is the employerís responsibility to ensure that soft drinks are also readily available, since some religions are against drinking alcohol.

Since employers have a duty of care towards their staff, they should take responsibility for travel arrangements after the Christmas party. Providing phone numbers for local registered cab companies is one way, but hiring minibuses to take staff home is another option, which is usually greatly appreciated.

Going overboard with the drink can have other negative consequence for employers. If management discusses a promotion or pay rise with one of their staff, they could face constructive dismissal if the pay rise does not then materialise. Additionally, certain comments made by male workers to female staff, or vice versa, could lead to claims of sex discrimination or harassment.

Staff sickness the day after a Christmas celebration can also be a tricky issue for employers. A survey has shown that companies lose an estimated 13 billion a year through staff calling in sick, and the day after a Christmas party is no exception.

One way to prevent this would be to book the Christmas party for a Friday night. If businesses havenít booked far enough in advance for venues to be available on a Friday night, perhaps suggest to employees that they can come in an hour later to sleep off a hangover. And finally, supplying bacon butties always goes down a treat!

A doís and doníts guide for employers this Christmas

- Donít expect people to be at their sharpest the day after the staff party. Strategy and budget meetings can wait

- Donít drink too much yourself ñ set a good example to your staff

- Donít take too strict a stance on office policy and disciplinary procedures. Only go down this route as a last resort

- Do remember that Christmas is not celebrated by all religions

- Do try to organise the staff party as close to the weekend as possible and as close to Christmas as possible. Business naturally slows down at this time of year, and any adverse reaction to too much drink might not be felt quite as severely

- Do manage peopleís expectations and communicate effectively. If staff know where the line is, theyíll be less likely to cross it