03 Dec ‘Tis the season… for holiday parties!
It’s that time of year again. Good food, good music, Secret Santa, and the potential for employee misbehavior, especially if alcohol is served. Which means it’s also time for the Prestige annual tradition of offering some helpful strategies you may want to employ if you plan to serve alcohol at this year’s party:
* Timing is everything. Choose to have alcohol available either pre-dinner or during dinner only. If you decide to have the bar open during the entire party, make sure it closes at least one hour before the party ends.
* There’s more to the party than just drinking. Promote the other aspects of the party, such as the menu and entertainment. Give employees something else they can look forward to, such as the food and dancing, rather than the liquor selection.
* Choose the menu wisely. Serve only beer and wine, not hard liquor, and limit the amount of salty, greasy, or sweet foods because they tend to increase thirst.
* Invite families, clients and/or vendors. The presence of employees’ family members or other work-related colleagues should encourage employees to be on their best behavior.
Even with these precautions in place, there is still the chance that employees may get out of hand with their behavior or be too impaired to drive. Here’s how to prevent those situations from happening:
* Designate managers to monitor employees’ behavior. They should look out for: how much employees drink and whether they have a safe ride home; employee interactions, especially those who become “too friendly” with each other or if tempers rise; any other employee activities that may be dangerous to themselves and others.
* Cover all transportation bases. Ask employees to designate a driver ahead of time or carpool with each other, or arrange for a taxi or car service for employees. Just be mindful not to make employees feel like that is a requirement.
Prepare for the possibility of pre-partying. It’s safe to assume that some employees will start the party on their own before they arrive to the actual party, so to minimize that possibility:
* Let employees know that those who arrive drunk will not be admitted to the party. Pre-designate a driver (e.g., an employee-volunteer or a taxi) to take the intoxicated employee home.
* Arrange for free transportation from your company’s site to the party site and back, so employees don’t have an opportunity to hit happy hour beforehand.
* Remind employees about your company’s Code of Conduct, which will be enforced at the party, by circulating e-mails and memos a few days before the party. This is much more effective than trying to explain it to an employee who is already drunk.
Prestige wishes all of you a happy and safe holiday season!