Written by Nicola Gater | 26th November 2024

Holidays are coming… but so are the potential challenges of workplace festive celebrations.  For employers, navigating this isn’t always easy, as they look to balance the excitement of the season with the need for inclusivity and respect, and keeping everyone safe and well.

This year, the stakes are higher with the introduction of the Worker Protection Act, which requires employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment – including at events outside the workplace.

It’s important that your teams come together for well-deserved celebrations at the end of the year, but it’s also important everyone remembers to uphold their normal respectful standards of behaviour when away from their normal work environments and routines. We’ve put together three practical tips to help you host a memorable Christmas party that keeps the festivities joyful and the risks minimal.

Making sure your celebrations are inclusive

Good employers understand the value of diversity within their teams. Having a workplace enriched by different ages, cultures, abilities, religious beliefs and personality types is a strength that brings together a wealth of perspectives and experiences. Celebrations should reflect this inclusivity, ensuring everyone feels welcome and appreciated during the festive season.

Some choices should be second nature by now – such as ensuring celebrations aren’t solely centred around alcohol and providing non-alcoholic options for people who don’t want to drink.

If food is part of the event, it’s essential to offer a range of options to accommodate different dietary requirements.

However it’s also important to consider the range of different personality types and personal preferences within your team, for example introverts and extroverts, whilst also considering those with neurodiverse conditions and disabilities.

While activities like axe throwing, escape rooms or party nights with loud music might be fun for many, they may not suit everyone. If you can, provide alternative arrangements for those who would prefer not to be included, and remember it is OK if someone chooses not to come along. This should not be held against them.

Practical point 1: Make sure you consider the personalities and preferences of your team members when party planning. Look to continue this in the New Year back in the workplace with our Insights Discovery sessions which offer valuable understanding of team personalities, dynamics and relationships, helping to foster collaboration, communication and success throughout the year.

Making sure behaviour standards don’t slip during celebrations

There has never been greater responsibility on employers to proactively protect their people from inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, and this extends to work-related social events.

The most recent example is the Worker Protection Act, and we discuss here how the new legislation imposes legal obligations on employers to actively take steps to prevent sexual harassment. However employers should prevent all forms of discrimination, bullying and harassment, and  Dignity at Work training for managers and employees is one of the reasonable steps employers are expected to take to ensure everyone knows what behaviours are and are not acceptable and how any issues will be addressed.

In response to the new legislation, employers are undertaking Harassment Risk Assessments to identify the actions they must take to prevent harassment, and social events must also be covered as part of this.

Communicating with your teams is important, so they are left in no doubt that your festive celebration is still a work event, and that workplace standards around safe and respectful interactions still apply.

Set ground rules before the day and, through written policy and communications, make clear that inappropriate behaviour in any work environment is not tolerated and could lead to disciplinary action.

Practical point 2: Preparing for the Christmas party is a good opportunity to review the behaviour standards, policies and reporting methods that you should have in place all year round – and, especially, to ensure you are taking the “reasonable steps” required under the Worker Protection Act. Download our Dignity at Work checklist to see how your organisation measures up.

Handling misconduct and reporting procedures

Even with up-to-date policies in place that have been carefully communicated to all your managers and teams, inappropriate behaviour can happen. The risk is heightened at Christmas parties, and some recent research even suggested that as many as 1 in 10 employees planned to avoid their workplace party because they were worried about unwanted attention.

So, it’s vital that your organisation has clear protocols in place for reporting any incidents – and for addressing them. Employees must trust that any issues they experience will be dealt with sensitively and robustly, otherwise they will not report it and the behaviour is likely to happen again.

Train your managers to investigate issues appropriately, and swiftly. Make sure they know how to have difficult and sensitive conversations, with all people who may be involved. Give them clear guidance on fair outcomes when making decisions following accusations.

Make sure everyone knows how to report an issue and provide multiple ways of reporting it. The ability to report issues anonymously is important, and technology can help with this.

If an allegation is made, acknowledge the claim promptly, stress that it will be taken seriously, and carry out a prompt and thorough investigation that is fair to both sides. Failing to do so would not only let your employees down, but would also risk non-compliance with the Worker Protection Act.

If a complaint is upheld, ensure outcomes are communicated appropriately, assess what went wrong and strengthen policies and training where needed. Again, a failure to react promptly and thoroughly after a complaint could mean your organisation falls foul of the Act. If a Tribunal claim is made, there could be 25% uplift on any financial penalty against your company.

Practical point 3: Proactive risk management, clarifying your policies and processes, and regular training is key to preventing sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviours and complying with the Worker Protection Act. Contact Reality HR’s specialists for support with crafting tailored anti-harassment and Dignity at Work policies, including advice on setting up reporting channels.

Looking for more tips about how to make your Christmas party safe and inclusive? See our blogs Maintaining office etiquette during the festive season and 5 golden rules for employers throwing a Christmas party.

If you have any questions, please contact our team at [email protected] or 01256 328 428.