Risk-managing The Festive Season

Date: 01/12/2010

Don't let your workplace Christmas party turn into a cause for regret - or something worse.

Whether your Christmas party is held on-site or somewhere else, rules about appropriate behaviour still apply, says Joydeep Hor of People and Culture Strategies. And it's important that you ensure that they're well understood from the start - and then observed. The starting point, he says, is a set of policies and procedures that apply at all times and are embodied in staff contracts. Then they must be communicated, in written form, shortly before the specific event. Where alcohol's involved, management has an obligation to make sure it's consumed responsibly. Having a senior manager as a "designated non-drinker" is a useful way of demonstrating leadership and keeping an eye on things. And if there is a problem,it must be dealt with promptly, not just after there's been a complaint.