It's All About People - 28th November 2024

🎄 Christmas Parties: Fun, Festive, and Fair

Author

Emma Wynne
November 28, 2024

READ TIME - 3 minute read

Welcome Back

This week’s It’s All About People covers Christmas Parties and in particular:

⚠️ Behaviour matters

👀Don’t overlook third-party harassment

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Inclusivity counts

🎁 Freebies in 2025


🗓️ Events coming up

👩‍🎤 The countdown to Christmas continues, and last weekend David and I had our Rock Choir debut.

⛈️Yes, we braved Storm Burt and sang our hearts out with the fabulous local Rock Choir and loved it.

🥳In just over 2 weeks time we have the Gateway HR Christmas Party and so I thought this week was a good time to talk about the Christmas party and things you need to consider.

Let’s go… 👇️ 


🎉 The festive season is upon us, and Christmas parties are a brilliant way to celebrate achievements, bring teams together, and spread some much-needed joy. But as the drinks flow and the music plays, it’s crucial to make sure the fun doesn’t lead to trouble.

This week’s email is some helpful tips to make sure that any celebrations you have are both fun and safe (for team members and the business)

⚠️ Behaviour matters


A festive atmosphere doesn’t mean professionalism goes out the window. With the new sexual harassment laws, employers have an increased duty to proactively prevent inappropriate behaviour, even at social events.

This may be a good time to remind people about the behaviour expected and we always recommend that if alcohol is involved then some senior team members remain sober so they can “keep an eye” on behaviour and intervene if needs be.

And don’t forget to communicate how to raise concerns (anonymously if needed) if something does go wrong.

Do we really need to worry? A landmark tribunal case involved a Christmas party where an employee made inappropriate comments to colleagues. Despite the party being outside work hours, the employer was found liable, as it was a work-organised event.

👀Don’t overlook third-party harassment


Under the updated laws, employers can also be held responsible for harassment by third parties, such as customers or suppliers.

If you’re in hospitality or a public-facing sector, now’s the time to ask:

  • What are you doing to protect your team from harassment by guests?

  • Do employees know how to report concerns, and are managers trained to handle them?

  • Are policies in place and communicated clearly to staff and third parties alike?

Creating a safe environment isn’t just about compliance—it shows your employees you’ve got their back.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Inclusivity counts


Not everyone celebrates Christmas—or celebrates it in the same way. Think about themes and activities that allow everyone to feel included, from those who don’t drink alcohol to those who may prefer alternatives to traditional festive celebrations.

I read a great example this week of a company that has an afternoon event so that everyone is able to attend (it is booked months in advance so people can plan work around it). The event then continues in to the evening for those who want to, but those who need to get home for caring commitments or simply do not want to party the night away, have still had a celebration.

This does not mean that you have avoid it being a Christmas event (I have heard a few peope suggest this and that misses the point. Christmas is a time to celebrate and have fun, and a big part of this is making sure as many people as possible feel included and thought of.

📣 Can you help me spread the word?

In 2025 I am hoping to grow the reach of this newsletter, and would really appreciate your help. For those that do refer people to our newsletter, there will be a range of thank you freebies coming your way.

🎁 Simply use the link below, and then keep an eye on your inbox in 2025 for the goodies.

Until next time, have a great week.

Emma

P.S. If you are not a Hub member why not give it a try for FREE FOR A MONTH you can do that here.

P.P.S. If we have not connected on LinkedIn yet, I would love to connect

Events to Join in the coming weeks (click on the links to join us)

Lunch and Learn - Creating Your 2025 People Plan (free to all clients, £35+VAT for non-clients) - 10th December 12 - 1pm

HR Clinic (free to all, come and ask your HR questions) - 17th December 12-1pm

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