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Holiday Party Tips and Tricks
Nov 23rd, 2018

As the winter season is upon us, it’s time to start planning one of every employees’ favourite event of the year – the office holiday party! These parties allow the opportunity to reward your employees after a long, successful year. However, there has been an increasing trend towards companies opting out of these celebrations all together as a result of increasing stress and worry about potential liabilities. Here are a few quick tips to ensure a successful holiday party:
Limit offering of free alcohol. By all means, do not be afraid to let your employees drink! However, limiting free alcohol ensures that you are encouraging them to stay within a reasonable level of sobriety and if they choose to consume more alcohol, they can do it on their own dime – consider it a win-win for business owners.
The cannabis thing. Since the legalization of cannabis, the government is still working to sort out the kinks. As it currently stands, organizations have the ability to prohibit the use of recreational cannabis at company events. When communicating with employees about the party, be sure to refer to your company policy. If your policy prohibits the use of recreational cannabis at work-related functions, clearly remind employees of this. While you’re at it, remind them of your workplace violence and harassment policy as well.
Offer free transportation. A big concern many organizations face when planning the party is the transportation to and from the venue. This point isn’t rocket science. Ensure all staff members have the option of receiving free transportation to eliminate the risk of anyone driving while intoxicated. With bus rentals, Uber, taxis, and designated driving services, there are no excuses for not ensuring all employees get home safely.
Consider adding Selectpath HR Connection to your resource list this holiday season for fast and reliable HR advice for from some of the industry’s best!
