Ho Ho Oh No… How To Avoid Christmas HR Disasters

Dear

‘Tis the season to be jolly!

Well, almost. For most of us, there is still around a week left of work, giving us time to wrap up any loose ends, put things on auto-pilot for the holidays and, most importantly, get excited about the Christmas party! If you’re in any function other than HR you’re probably planning your outfits, who to bring and how to get home after a few glasses of wine. But for the HR staff reading this, we know you’re excited too, but you’re probably also dreading all the things that could go wrong.

But don’t worry! All you need to do is put a few simple things in place to keep everyone safe, happy and prevent any issues that might crop up. Speaking of which…

Christmas Party Do’s And Don’ts

We have just a few tips to make sure your Christmas party goes smoothly.

Do:

Make Sure Everyone Knows The Ground Rules. No one wants to be that grumpy humbug, but it is important that employees understand what is acceptable, and what isn’t. You can do this a simple email reminding people that the relevant workplace policies still apply.

Consider Everyone’s Needs When Planning. People can get a bit caught up in ensuring everyone’s dietary needs are met, but that’s just one element of good planning. For example, is the venue accessible for handicapped employees? Does the time and location of the party allow for those who need to arrange childcare to take part?

Don’t:

Let Social Media Get Out Of Hand. Do you really want to risk your company reputation with pictures of staff in party mode, looking worse for wear or posting embarrassing messages on social media? You might want to put some rules in place to manage social media during (and after) the event.

Forget Other Faiths. Not everyone celebrates Christmas! If you have staff from different faiths, or for whom Christmas is not a significant event, you need to make sure they don’t feel excluded.

Mandate Attendance. Most people will probably want to come along to the party, but some might not want to attend for religious or personal reasons. Don’t penalise people who can’t (or don’t want to) participate.

For more Christmas party do’s and don’ts, just get in touch with the Herefords team today.

Ask For Help!

Of course, handling all of the seasonal issues that can come up in a business can be tricky, especially if you’re running a small HR department. If you’re having issues with staff, policies or procedures in the run-up to Christmas, it doesn’t hurt to get a little help and advice from the employment law experts. At Herefords, we offer hands-on, practical advice and guidance around all elements of employment law. Our service is all about guiding you through the minefield, helping you to understand the law and how it applies to your business. And thanks to our new Employment Law Retainer, you can be confident that your key HR decisions and advice are compliant and appropriate.

You can find out more about how employment law retainer by clicking here.

Get In Touch
Best,
Zahir Mohammed
Employment Solicitor
0203 669 2216