11 December 2007
It's official: employees don't like to party!
Survey says two-thirds of workers prefer to be anywhere but the Christmas work party.
HR expert Croner, is 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.
Gosh, is that the time?
In a YouGov survey of 1,209 British workers commissioned by Croner, 43% of respondents said that work Christmas parties are okay but they'd rather be somewhere else. While one fifth of workers (20%) said that the parties are awful and they’d do anything to avoid them and if they do go they can’t wait to leave.
20% of workers said that Christmas parties are awful and they’d do anything to avoid them.
The main reason for this un-festive behavior 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 socialize with colleagues outside of work.
Respondents also cited that they're 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%).
We're a nation of party poopers
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 organized 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 organized company Christmas party.
Here's £20 – go celebrate
Pitts comments: “Calls to our helplines on work Christmas parties are increasingly relating not to the pitfalls of holding a party, but alternatives to organized 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."
We suggest that employers liaise with their employees to find out what their party preference would be.
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 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,” advises Pitts.
Have your say
What's your organization's Christmas party policy? Do your employees enjoy this offering or are they more like the employees mentioned in the poll? Discuss this and share your Christmas party stories with your communication peers by joining the Internal Comms Hub members' group on the Communicators' Network.
Got a news story? Contact the newsdesk