Holiday Parties

System

As I was reading through the answers to the essay question on our November survey on holidays I saw that some businesses' employees are having to pay to go to holiday parties and some companies have done away with holiday parties all together. Also saw this article from CNN.com today about that and was wondering if any of you have seen your organizations go this route and how employees are responding.

[url]http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/10/pf/wall_street_holiday_parties/index.htm[/url]

plynnl

Wow. I can see low participation if the employees have to pay to attend.

cnghr

Some organizations that I know of have been charging their employees to attend their holiday parties for years. Generally, it's been government entities that I've known of doing it; my husband used to work for the city and at that time they charged employees to go to their party because they said they didn't want it perceived that taxpayers' money was being spent so that city employees could party.

It's interesting that all of those big financial institutions that are making money hand over fist and still handing out huge bonuses to upper management are being such tightwads about the paying for holiday parties for their employees. They don't have to throw a really lavish, all-out, expensive party like in years past, but I think in terms of goodwill it would go a long way to pay for some sort of party. I work for a fairly small community bank and we have continued to pay for our holiday parties the same as always. We feel like it's our gift to the employees for their dedication and service throughout the year.

plynnl

We are also a small company and we take the employees out to lunch at the same restaurant every year. They can pick whatever they want to eat and we have a ornament gift exchange. Small on the scheme of things, but the employees like it.

NaeNae55

We take the employees out to lunch. On a separate day, we have a small holiday party in the afternoon. Company provides snacks and soft drinks. Employees bring a $10 gift (voluntary participation) for a gift exchange and the company also provides one. We play a game to see who gets what gift for the company gifts, and then do it again for the employee gifts.

The company gifts started out with the $10 limit too, but they have increased a tiny bit each year. They are probably running anywhere from $18-$30 this year. The boss does all the shopping and wrapping and stays within budget every year (which also increases a little bit each year.)

We have a lot of fun fighting over the gifts and passing them around. Last year one of the employees even sang a few carols for us. Lots of fun, and fairly cheap.

Even if you have to cut expenses you can have a nice party for your employees. You just have to be willing to be creative and spend the time and energy organizing it. It looks like the big finance companies just don't have anyone who wants to bother.

ACU Frank

Until this year, we did this: It's $20 to attend the party, but the $20 is waived for everyone who actually shows up. Turnout was about 65%, but we had almost zero no-shows. We dropped that this year, and just made it free. Turnout was still 65%, but we had 85% RSVP... so lots of no-shows. Unfortunately, we have to pay for no-shows too.

Jessica Ayer

Holiday parties can present other problems as well (besides monetary issues) and can lead to employee bad behavior, especially when alcohol is involved.

Has anyone had any bad holiday party experiences? Have you had to deal with an employee's party faux pas? How did you handle the situation?

Paul in Cannon Beach

Our Christmas party is usually a dinner and then a white elephant gift exchange. The dinner is either catered (if we have money) or potluck (when we have no money).

This year we had the staff bring dessert and we provided a simple soup and bread buffet. It was great.

We did a variation of the classic white elephant gift exchange. All in all it was a great time.

We don't serve any alcohol so that's not an issue. Our staff all get along great and most don't need any chemical assistance to have fun or be silly.

Tonight is my wife's christmas party. Its smaller and more awkward....

joannie

We have a potluck. Company president furnishes the meat and the rest of us bring everything else. Some years we play dirty Santa and some not, but we always have a good time visiting.

Paul in Cannon Beach

I like how casually Joannie mentions "dirty Santa" without going into detail.

bethk

Dirty Santa? Or should I not ask?

plynnl

I am wondering also.

Celeste Blackburn SPHR

The general idea of dirty Santa is that everyone brings a gift that could be for anyone. You don't put your name or anyone else's on the gift. You put the gifts on a table and everyone draws a number -- that's the order you pick your gifts in.

So the first person picks a gift and unwraps it. The second person can either pick another gift to unwrap or take away the first person's gift. And it goes on like that until everyone has a gift.

I've played where a gift can only be taken from someone three times or one person can only have something taken from them three times. I've seen it get pretty dirty indeed -- people get attached to their gifts only to have them snatched away.

bethk

Oh, yes. I've heard of that before but never heard it called dirty Santa.

NaeNae55

Thats the game we play, but I have never heard it called Dirty Santa before. We consider it a modified White Elephant (modified because the gifts are new).