Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Yes it’s December, which means everyone is getting geared up for Christmas and all that comes with it. Christmas jumpers, nice big roast lunches, time off with the family and a chance to let your hair down at the Christmas do. But for employers, Christmas is also a bit scary. Because HR wise, there are so many things that could go wrong. To put your mind at ease, here are the most common 4 issues employers face over the festive season, and how you can prevent them.
Dress Code Arguments
We’re going to bundle Christmas dress codes and Christmas decoration together here, because both are very likely to start arguments. Some people like their office to look just a little bit festive, or not decorate for Christmas at all. Others want their workspace to look like joy threw up all over their desk. Some people want to wear Christmas jumpers from December 1st, while others feel pressured into taking part and really don’t enjoy it.
Lots of organisations will relax their dress codes at this time of year, inviting casual dress and Christmas jumper days. You are more than welcome to do this! Just make sure that your employees know it is optional, and aren’t excluded from other activities if they choose not to take part. Similarly, be sensitive to any employees who don’t celebrate Christmas. Make decorating a communal task so everyone can have their say, and make sure public areas don’t go too overboard. Though if you have employees with their own offices, the décor is up to them really!
To be really inclusive why not make sure that next year you plan to decorate for and celebrate a wide range of festivals and important dates?
Christmas Gifts
Gift-giving and Christmas go hand in hand, and many businesses will start receiving gifts from grateful customers and suppliers. And while we all love a box of chocolates to pass around the office, it’s worth reminding your staff of what an acceptable gift is, and what they are allowed to accept. After all, it’s easy to fall foul of bribery policies (and if you don’t have one of those, get in touch with us today). Here’s a few tips to make sure gift-giving doesn’t break up your teams:
- Be clear that your staff are welcome to keep or share any gifts that are of minor value. Most companies say £10 value or less but check your individual policies.
- Let staff know that if they receive any larger gifts, they will need to inform a manager. The same thing applies if your employees think that the gift is of ‘questionable intention’ (for example, if the giver is trying to convince you to buy from them).
- Don’t get annoyed with staff who don’t share gifts that are individually sent to them. Especially if you haven’t got a published policy that you can direct them to ahead of time.
You might have noticed a theme here, but open communication and clear boundaries really key when it comes to employee issues!
The Christmas Party
Yes, the infamous Christmas Party. This is one of the biggest causes of complaints, grievances and general employee misbehaviour of the year! In fact, around 90% of employers have experienced issues related to the work Christmas Party, and around 10% of employees know someone who has been formally disciplined or even dismissed for an incident connected to the Christmas party. So while you want to let your employees have fun, you also want to make sure you set clear boundaries and expectations, and follow through on any consequences if needed. This is especially important because you as an employer have something called ‘vicarious liability’, which means if something happens at work or a work event (including a Christmas Party), you may be held responsible for it. So a few things you can do to protect yourself are:
- If one of your employees makes discriminatory or offensive comments, or even just gossip unkindly about another employee, there is the risk that you could receive a claim and be liable for their behaviour so ensure you deal with this kind of behaviour robustly
- Ensure everyone is familiar with your bullying and harassment policy. Refer employees to your social media policy as not everyone will appreciate party photos being posted on Facebook etc
- You might also consider designating a senior person to avoid or limit alcohol consumption during your celebration. This will ensure that someone remains vigilant throughout the occasion
- To reduce the impact of alcohol, make sure you provide plenty to eat, have lots of water available and consider a cut-off time at the bar if alcohol is free
- To minimise the risk of any religious (or possibly other) discrimination claims, be considerate of all staff when planning parties including the day and time, theme and activities, catering and drink arrangements, and gifts
- Be wary of any backlash from staff if you minimise risk to such an extent that the event stops being sufficiently ‘Christmassy’ or fun! Often demotivating staff is actually much easier than motivating staff!
Bad Weather
Jack Frost has already paid us a visit this winter, and snow has fallen on many areas of the UK, causing panic and disruption as bad weather often does. During this time of year it’s very plausible that one or more of your employees will encounter issues with their own transport, or with getting to and from work on public transport during bad weather. So even if you don’t think this year will be a White Christmas, you still need to have a plan in case someone can’t make it into work at the last minute.
We recommend putting a clear policy in place about adverse weather so that your staff are absolutely clear about your expectations, and what the processes will be. For example, will working from home be allowed? Can staff take holiday if they have it left? Will it be given as unpaid leave? If you don’t have a policy in place yet, then let us know, it’s time to get one written!
Of course, hopefully you have policies in place to handle some of these issues before they arise, and you’re already communicating with your employees about what the festive season will look like. If you have any questions or concerns about how to manage employee situations over the break and beyond, all you need to do is give us a call today.