The office party – our six top tips to avoiding a HR hangover

With ‘Mad Friday’ just around the corner, we’re revisiting our popular office party survival guide for HR managers.

So if you’re making last minute preparations for your team knees up, take a look at our six top tips to office party success…

1. Clear standards – no one wants to be a party pooper, but it’s good practice to provide clear guidance on the standard of behaviour expected at your Christmas party. Make sure that your employees understand that the party is still a professional event, and inappropriate behaviour may need to be discussed formally back in the office.
2. Safety – support your party goers in making safe arrangements for travelling home. For example, could you arrange pre-booked taxis from the venue?
3. Alcohol – make sure that a range of refreshments are on offer, including soft drinks. Not everyone drinks alcohol, and even those who do may need a break during the night.
4. Social media – reiterate your professional guidelines around social media. Again, you don’t want to spoil the merriment, but it’s good practice to remind your employees of your professional expectations before the night carries them away. Many of your employees may prefer privacy, and photos posted at your party could also be seen as a reflection of your brand.
5. Entertainment – think inclusively when planning entertainment for the evening. Your team is likely to be made up of a wide range of different people, so aim to offer entertainment that is enjoyable and respectful to all.
6. Attendance – make it clear that attendance is not compulsory. Your team may have religious beliefs or prior plans that mean they cannot commit to attending.