Christmas parties are a great way to thank staff for their hard work throughout the year but to keep the event safe and inclusive for all attendees, the conduct of your employees should remain professional, and management expectations should be set accordingly. 

Before the event, remind staff about the standards of behaviour that will be expected of them at the party. This can include examples of what is, and isn’t, acceptable conduct. This reminder may be in the form of a staff email or by re-sending the internal policy on social events to all members of staff.

It will also be useful to reiterate that the Christmas party is likely to be classed as a part of their employment, so the normal company rules on conduct, harassment etc continue to apply.

Consider the availability of alcohol during the event as endorsing a free bar or unlimited drinks will support an argument that the employer should be held responsible for any drunken misconduct.

Instead, employers could consider offering a complimentary drink on arrival and then having drinks vouchers or happy hours during the event. Also ensure there are plenty of soft drinks available throughout the whole of the party.

Designate a manager as the person responsible for reviewing conduct during the event. Although not as fun, this could be done on a rota basis to ensure this is fairly allocated. The manager can be told about issues as they arise and can observe employees’ behaviour during the event to ensure this is appropriate.

Employers must also take reasonable steps to prevent the sexual harassment of their workers ‘in the course of employment’. Ensure your sexual harassment risk assessment is up to date and that all sexual harassment training had been completed. Always remind the workforce where to report any instances they witness or experience.

Remember, sexual harassment doesn’t need to be directed at a particular person, if an employee feels intimidated, degraded, humiliated or offended they can claim.

If any incident caused discomfort to an employee, ensure that the employee is made aware of the grievance process. There may be occasions where no grievance is made but due to the nature of the incident the business should take immediate action, such as instances of violence or sexual misconduct.

Employee misconduct should be pursued via a disciplinary route. It is essential to investigate and determine if the employee has a case to answer to and if so, proceed to a disciplinary meeting and allow the employee an opportunity to defend or explain their behaviour.

Taking consistent action on employee misconduct will go a long way in protecting employers and employees from preventable reprisals. 

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