The old days of holiday office parties that sometimes deteriorated into embarrassing situations are, for the most part, no longer with us. That's good. There has been, in recent years, a trend away from knockdown-dragout affairs that may make intriguing television or movie fare but can lead to a long list of problems in real life.
Things can go horribly wrong at such functions when employees drink too much, share other drugs, get out of control or make ugly comments about people, then go out on the road creating serious accident risks.
One of the most sobering aspects of office gatherings, such as those for Christmas and even Halloween, is the growing tendency for those who feel wronged to sue employers and even fellow employees. For instance, the worker who leaves a party drunk and gets into a vehicle accident can generate a lawsuit against not only himself but also the employer whose event led to the drunken behavior. But there also have been lawsuits filed by employees who say they have been offended or "damaged" by the behavior of fellow workers. That, too, can lead to big trouble for the employer.
Joyce Rosenberg of the Associated Press notes that a number of businesses nowadays are seeking alternative ways to celebrate while minimizing the chances for trouble.
Susan Stinson, a special projects manager at AlphaStaff, a human resources company based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., says employers should decide whether they should serve alcohol at their parties. Drinking is almost always the major irritant. Further, the laws governing alcohol use and abuse should be studied and the chances for under-age drinkers considered. Sometimes employers are not liable if parties occur in restaurants rather than home offices. Others might consider hiring taxi and limousine services for those who overindulge.
An option worth considering is to have a staff work together a few hours at a charitable organization and have food while they are there. Stinson says "there are lots of good ways to celebrate holidays and they needn't involve alcohol."
There always can be someone who gets out of line at a workplace gathering and causes a scene or, worse, an accident. But such problems can be headed off with better planning and we can hope that is occurring more often around here.
Having fun is marvelous, and common sense can keep it from deteriorating into costly difficulty.
Comments
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monkfellow (anonymous) says…
I remember when companies would treat employees to a no-holds-barred multi course meal and all the boozwe you wanted.The event was held at the local country club, or, if the boss was a member, another private club.There were Christmas gifts, all sorts of stuff.
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Was that bad?
Probably, if you choose to, or could not, drink. People whose anger was always beneath the surface had it spew out with a couple of belts.It was overindulgence, but it was teamwork.
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Should companies ban booze from "holiday"parties (can't call them Christmas anymore,unless you want the ACLU on your doorstep).Probably yes,they should.There's too many chance to be held liable for something,especially if things get ugly on company property.
Someone will also be resentful if a company stiffs the party in favor of a "feelgood" project, like working at a charity for an afternoon with food there.That sounds pretty "kumbaya" to me,and,if it's a faith-based group being benefitted,someone of a different religion will complain about THAT.
Naw, in this day,age, and atmosphere, companies should do nothing.Don't do a party,don't do a lunch,don't do gifts, don't put up decorations,Since Christmas is under assault anyway,companies should consider themselves a big target if they do more than close a bit early on Christmas Eve.