It’s that time of year when companies across the UK dip into the petty cash tin and treat employees to a party, or at the very least a few drinks.

At People Matters HR we think fun is an important part of the workplace. and a good knees up can be great for team morale and unity. However as HR professionals we have to think about the potential negatives as well, so here’s some sage advice for managers, after all every company has a young (or not so young) green employee that's never met a free bar before!

Free bars

Free bars are awesome… however they do encourage some employees to drink excessively. A system we have found work well is to issue tokens.

Getting there and back

Think about how people are going to get to the venue and how they will get home. If you can’t stretch to taxis or a bus, encourage designated drivers.

General tips

• Remind employees what is expected, do this in as light hearted way as possible but it is important that staff understand that they are still representing the company and that poor behaviour will have consequences.
• Have a one to one with any employees that ‘have form’, make sure they are clear on company policy and expectations.
• Try to arrange transport to avoid drink driving.
• Clearly set out policies for dealing with bad behaviour in advance.
• Set a good example, as the boss, people will be looking at you… so it’s probably best if you’re not half naked, dancing on a pool table downing neat vodka!

After the party

As an employer you have a duty of care to your staff, this isn’t just limited to the workplace. If you put on an out of work event you are still expected to take reasonable measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your people. The points mentioned above are a good starting point, however it is important to consider the specific circumstances.

Sadly claims for workplace harassment increase over the festive period, again if employers take reasonable steps to prevent discrimination or harassment they can go some way to protecting themselves against claims.

Hopefully that will be helpful, get in touch if you would like help with any of the above issues.