Company Party Dos and Dont's

After walking the dog tonight with my ski jacket, mitts and toque (hat for Americans reading this blog), my thoughts quickly turned of the upcoming holiday season...scary to think Halloween is just over a month away and Christmas is quickly knocking on its door. 

Speaking of Halloween and Christmas, many companies are well on their way to planning seasonal events  as team building and morale-boosting initiatives. And while I'm sure to re-post this blog the week I'm actually attending a party or two myself, it's good to keep the following tips in mind while planning for the big event.

First and foremost, check your office insurance policies - do they include events? More specifically do they include events with alcohol?  How about an open-bar? While it's not illegal to have alcohol at an employee party, you are putting your organization at risk.  Embarrassing behavior is one thing, but a sexual-harassment suit is even worse. I'm certain I too would have been one of the ones to grumble about not having an open-bar - but I'm sure we can all imagine it being much worse if we had to be in the middle of a lawsuit. Many companies now are electing to hand out drink tickets - sticking at 2 free ones.  It seems to work and is still reviewed as generous but keeps the potential for disaster at a much...much lesser risk.
Second, you may want to consider throwing a party on a weeknight.  Sure, it seems pretty lame but my old company threw a St. Patrick's Day party regardless of the day it landed on.  For the past three years, it was a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.  Surprisingly, people still made it into work the next day and a few who thought ahead, took the next day off.  Either way, it was a good time, a great way to break up the week and people were honestly pretty responsible.

Always make sure you are in a venue that serves food.  If anything is "open" at an office party, it should be the food.  Compliment greasy and salty foods with proteins and starches as they absorb more alcohol, thus ultimately lessening your risk of disaster.

Ensure you have taxi-chits available at the door for people to utilize.  In some cases, insurance won't cover your event unless you provide them. 
Finally, when sending out the invitation and information about the party, it's a good idea to add a few "rules" - everything from time it starts, to the time it ends (so people know when to actually leave), to what people should wear, and who they are allowed to bring.  Most people think it's a "given", but there is always one employee who didn't "get it" or didn't "quite understand".  Please remember to tell people to drink responsibly.  And last but not least (and this is important), emphasize that attendance is strictly voluntary, not mandatory.  Trust me - that little tidbit  (in writing) could save you thousands of dollars!!  For more information on how, email me at info@elevatedhr.com

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