Opinions December 6, 2007

SURVEY SAYS – Will There Be a Holiday Party at Your Workplace?

December 6, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - It's that time of year again - time for the office holiday party.

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This week, I asked readers if they would have one (or more) at their workplace – and if they intended to attend.

The vast majority of this week’s respondents said there would be a workplace-related holiday party this year. In fact, more than two-thirds (68.3%) of this week’s respondents said there would be one, and 16.5% indicated there would be more than one. Interestingly enough, about two-thirds of those office parties will not take place in the office – though one-in-five will, and the rest said they would take place both in – and out – of the office (presumably the more-than-one party group, though for all I know, some will start one place and finish somewhere else.

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As for “being there”, while more than half (58.9%) said they would attend – and roughly one in eight said they “wouldn’t miss it,” roughly one in 10 said they hadn’t yet decided, a comparable number said they would not be attending, and nearly 6% said “not if I can help it.” Or, as one reader noted, “Do I really have to go to all 4… and counting??”

For the very most part, this week’s verbatims were rather “Scroogely” – that is to say, for many the office holiday party seems to be either a bore, an unseemly expenditure of company funds, an event scheduled at an inconvenient time/place, an obligation (one respondent termed it “a CLM (Career Limiting Move)”). Not that that was a universal sentiment. As one respondent noted, “Alcohol is not allowed at our parties, so the conversation is fun and focused on “catching up” on latest events, our families, pets, holiday plans etc. It’s a great time for the team to relax and converse freely without having to drag along our spouses, maintain facades and regret the “post-party” stories.” But another noted, “The main holiday party is after work hours. I work in a great company and with wonderful colleagues that I like associating with during business hours. When I am required and compensated to give up my private time to go to a work function, I will go to the holiday party.” Then there was the reader who noted “Being an office of one, everyday is a party!”

Editor’s Choice runners-ups go to the readers who submitted somewhat similar responses:

“Yes, there will be a party but I have designated myself as the driver for the evening to avoid the Phyllis Diller prophesy…”, said one alluding to this week’s Wednesday Wisdom. The other offered a Monday Musing; “Why does a workplace serve free and unlimited alcohol at a festive function and then require employees to return to work later that same day?”

But this week’s Editor’s Choice is drawn from the recountings of several “intriguing” holiday party stories;

“We learned the hard way that off-site office parties can cost the company less. During our last party held at the office, several employees, after several drinks, had gone into the copy room to scan and email pictures of their “rear-ends” to their co-workers… creating the game of “guess whose?”. The glass on the copy machine, not being designed to hold the weight of a human, shattered as the fourth person took her turn to be scanned. Of course everyone ran and denied all but the following year management decided to hold the annual function in a public restaurant… and give out tickets that the employee could exchange for a drink (thus limiting the alcohol intake). By the by, (1) no embarrassing trip to the emergency room was necessary for the employee, and (2) Xerox does not cover “rump scanning” under the service agreement.”

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

Our office party is only partially subsidized. Why would I want to pay to be with people that I see at work everyday anyway?

Debating do I want to celebrate & then have to stay later to get the work done?? The parties usually aren't that good...

pretty much obligated to go because of my position

The main one for our entire department will be on-site. Our Performance Group will have our own little party at a very nice restaurant.

Attendance is mandatory

One of my subordinates is in charge so I really have to go.

I have about 6 inches of snow waiting for me to shovel. I could go home and shovel or go to a party with co-workers. Not too tough of a decision.

No choice!

I made some lame excuse that I would be out of town. I don't think anyone bought it.

The parties are always at trendy restaurants in Philadelphia. Open bar at lunch and you get the rest of the day off.

The party is during working hours. If you don't attend, you have to stay in the office and work or take vacation time.
Why would I want to go to a party with all of the people I work with?? I get enough of them during the week!! Besides, I have tickets to a basketball game!!
The main holiday party is after work hours. I work in a great company and with wonderful colleagues that I like associating with during business hours. When I am required and compensated to give up my private time to go to a work function, I will go to the holiday party.
Probably will be "mandated" that I go.
I will only be there if I value my job and the income it provides.
I'm new, so I'm stuck with helping organize it. However, I'm a hero because I found a decent place on a paltry budget.
Already went
Fortunately, I have class, so I cannot attend the company party. Unfortunately, I'll have to attend the department party.
Conflict with date or I would attend.
Depends on the day and time it is to take place whether I will be free to attend

This year I have a great excuse - an out-of-town wedding.

And miss the free, long lunch?

Spouses included...

I will manage to miss both of them.

Our department one is on a Friday from 3:00 to 5:30. I have class on Friday's and leave at 3:30. The other is a company party. They have buffets scheduled at a local hotel and people have to choose from one hour timeslots as to when they'll go. We have to go as a department and I'll be on vacation that day. Hmmm. What a shame.

Do I really have to go to all 4... and counting??

It's one more time suck when 1) work loads have doubled because of the end of year rush; and 2) personal obligations have doubled because of the end of year rush.

I like the fact that we have a Christmas Party.

I go because of the nice raffle prizes (must be present to win), which only perpetuates the spending on an event when I would rather have the cash equivalent.

Can't say I've ever really had "fun" at one but I do enjoy planning the party and am happy when it goes well and the employees enjoy it

I hate office parties? It is not fun to get drunk and eat bad food with people you are only pretending to like.

I won't miss the one this year, because it will probably be the last at this company.

This is our first off-site party in six years. Previous president didn't want the responsibility (with travel, alcohol, etc) or the expense. Current president is willing to give it a try.

Being an office of one, everyday is a party!

It's one more time suck when 1) work loads have doubled because of the end of year rush; and 2) personal obligations have doubled because of the end of year rush.

I like the fact that we have a Christmas Party.

I go because of the nice raffle prizes (must be present to win), which only perpetuates the spending on an event when I would rather have the cash equivalent.

Can't say I've ever really had "fun" at one but I do enjoy planning the party and am happy when it goes well and the employees enjoy it

I hate office parties? It is not fun to get drunk and eat bad food with people you are only pretending to like.

We always have too many complaints about the decorations being too Christmassy. I am waiting to see what happens this year after we put a jew and muslim in charge of decorations.

I won't miss the one this year, because it will probably be the last at this company.

This is our first off-site party in six years. Previous president didn't want the responsibility (with travel, alcohol, etc) or the expense. Current president is willing to give it a try.

Being an office of one, everyday is a party!

This year's shebang sounds nice but often I think the party only adds stress rather than rel1eving it. The pressure for a new dress, hose without ladders, shoes that don't pinch, jewelry?, and only alluding to the expensive undergarmets that go with it all on a woman's salary means who can afford it? Rats! I forgot the hair & facial.

Not attending is what I call a CLM (Career Limiting Move).

Our home office allots so much per employee. The employees don't get a say in how it's spent. This year the Managers have decided to have the meat catered, and the employees get to bring the side dishes and desserts in. Needless to say, the women in the office do the cooking and cleaning up, the men sit on their fat behinds, eat, and get fatter. Do I like office parties? No! Do I go? Don't have a choice!

Onsite, catered, during the workday, no booze and raffles make for an appreciated day.

Our holiday parties are typically held from 7-10 on the weekend at some place downtown. I think the time and the format helps keep the behavior more subdued. Those that want to continue the party go some place else afterward.

Alcohol is not allowed at our parties, so the coversation is fun and focused on "catching up" on latest events, our families, pets, holiday plans etc. It's a great time for the team to relax and converse freely without having to drag along our spouses, maintain facades and regret the "post-party" stories.

If alcohol is served some partiers should really refrain from taking in too many drinks. They often tend to behave in a manner that sheds a new light on their professionalism or the lack thereof!

(Monday Musing:) Why does a workplace serve free and unlimited alcohol at a festive function and then require employees to return to work later that same day?

I actually said to my wife yesterday that I was wondering when I got to the point where I am not jumping at the chance to go to a party with an open bar.

Our office party is during work hours - basically a long lunch, so I guess we don't have much of a choice about attending.

I work for a state plan. We get a paycheck and some decent benefits, but it stops there. The employees will bring in food for a potluck on our lunch hour next week. That's as close to a Christmas party as we'll get. And, if a business contact should send a token gift to the office we will send it back. State employees are not allowed to receive "so much as a pen, a pencil or a coffee mug"; however, different rules apply to elected officials. We once sent a 50 cent box of Red Hot candies back to a London manager pitching a new fund at a $7.00 cost to us! The fruit baskets are also pretty ripe by the time they get them back. I wonder if we will be asking charities to return money that fund managers have donated in our name? We did get a bonus this year; in leu of a pay raise. That way the State won't be obligated to the pay again next year. Merry Christmas

Holiday parties, in general- not just ours, have lost the Holiday Spirit. It is now all about the party- what do we "get", how much money can be spent and can booze be served on work premises?, etc. etc. Twenty years ago, our party was focused on our Toys for Tots campaign and things like that.

Our office parties are done on company time so there really isn't any excuse for people not attending. It looks bad for someone who has been at work in the morning to miss the party in the afternoon. I think it is a good opportunity for people to mix away from the office. On the other hand, I have had to deal with harassment complaints on one or two occasions. What happened to holiday good will?

Boring!!!

I suggested that, in the "Festivus" tradition, we hold an annual airing of grievances -- but this idea was frowned upon. Free food mitigates grievances, after all.

Most feel compelled to go and the company has an extremely unrealistic budget. So we have crappy parties that people really don't want to attend. We be better off, morale wise, just not having them or using the per head amount toward a gift.

Our company is in a fourth-quarter budget crunch, yet we're having a very elaborate Holiday Party, complete with a dance performance. We're on budget crunches, and people are being let-go, yet we can have an elaborate party? hmm...

Your quote by Phyllis Diller totally described my last place of employment. We would have an employee that would develop a seemingly irreversable pattern of bad work, but our partners would always wait until after the Christmas party to fire them. I suppose they didn't want to put a damper on anyone's holiday spirit!

My company is way too cheap to have a holiday party.

Last year they could not get their act together to plan a party (no loss there), so having 4 parties this year makes up for last year's lack of one? And while we are at it... for those of you who think a recycled gift is appropriate for the Yankee Swap that is costing everyone else at least $25, think again. If you are that cheap, don't participate.

I've heard stories, but never personally witnessed any of the excitement.

Of course I'm going. It's always fun seeing one of your "soon to be formor" coworkers make an ass of themselves! Some of us even have a pool trying to guess who will do it this year.

This year my husbands company is paying for hotel rooms for after the December 20th (Thursday night) holiday party. I think this is really outstanding so that the employees have a great time and the companies liabilities are reduced! SO I am taking the next day off but the employees will be expected to be at work on Friday.

"Anonymous"? On the Internet? Surely, you must be kidding...

We tend to have great parties because we chose interesting venues -- this year's party will be held at the Exploratorium, really a place for kids with a scientific bent -- and that totally describes our work force! Add some good California wine and you have a terrific party.

Last year's party ended with a young and quite drunk employee getting hauled off to jail after he took a swing at one of our company managers. Hopefully, this year's party will be less eventful.

During the 'excesses' of the 1990's, my department had a party that started with 7 tables of various hot and cold appetizers and an open bar (hard liquor, beer, wine, etc.), followed by a 5-course meal, followed by the reopening of the open bar and several tables of desserts. Everyone got tipsy, drove home safely and came to work the following day. Ahhh, the good old days.

At a former employer, I had to stop going to the holiday parties just to maintain my sanity. They were held offsite and the spirits were usually flowing so freely that everyone apparently thought I was there as HR just to hear confessions. I heard from those who hated their boss to reports of those who were doing quite the opposite of hating their boss. People confessed that they were looking for other jobs, that they were considering changing careers, that they were in therapy, etc. I tripped over people making out near the coat rooms, unfortunately noticing that they were married but not to each other. It was an ethical nightmare.

We learned the hard way that off-site office parties can cost the company less. During our last party held at the office, several employees, after several drinks, had gone into the copy room to scan and email pictures of their "rear-ends" to their co-workers... creating the game of "guess whose?". The glass on the copy machine, not being designed to hold the weight of a human, shattered as the fourth person took her turn to be scanned. Of course everyone ran and denied all but the following year management decided to hold the annual function in a public restaurant... and give out tickets that the employee could exchange for a drink (thus limiting the alcohol intake). By the by, (1) no embarrassing trip to the emergency room was necessary for the employee, and (2) Xerox does not cover "rump scanning" under the service agreement.

At my last job, our holiday parties were at rented space in downtown hotels near the office. Many people would get hotel rooms to avoid drinking and driving. The holiday party was terminated after the after parties in the rooms got out of control. There were several people pairing up, hookers in the rooms, smoking of the whacky weed, etc. One person left his wife after the holiday party and moved in with his secretary.