Different Strokes for Different Groups

Miriam George · October 2003

Every year as we approach the holiday season, we have folks unappy because the office and management group enjoy a special holiday party put on by the CEO whereas those working in production (we are a manufacturing firm) are not invited. We believe this is still a fairly common practice. There will always be groups or "classifications" of employees and different groups will enjoy different perks.

Anyway, do any of you have experience with this? How do you respond to the disgruntled group? Have you made some compromises in your holiday celebration to accommodate everyone?

HR in CA · October 2003

No wonder you have disgruntled employees. I would never think to exclude any group from a company sponsored holiday celebration. Afterall if not for the production by the production workers would there be much for the company to celebrate?

I have never worked for a company that excluded any group from a celebration in my 20+ years in the work force.

Pork · October 2003

HR in CA: Get out of CA and you'll see the real world. There has always been special perks for some and not for others depending on status and levels.

President and GM have thrown a special staff Christmas party where we have a chance to HON KNOB with them. Production group and groups often have their BBQs and Fish Frys and only invitied quest are expected to show up.

The Accounting manager has her assistants in for lunches and dinners several times a year and if you are not an accountant you may or may not be invited.

These are common in several different organizations with whom I have been associated.

The company provides turkeys frozen for every ee on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Cured Hams ready to eat are provided to every employee at our Christmas Party as a departing Christmas gift from the company. All ees are invitied and we hope all will attend.

The President comes to town about twice a month and he'll invited individuals to his hotel for frank discussions, dinner, and drinks. I have never been invited, but I don't get my feelings hurt because he and I talk during the daytime because I'm in the office and others are not.

PERKS are apart of the working world and all with any sense should be able to understand the pecking order and the value of the invites or non-invites.

EVERYONE NOW EAT MORE PORK!

pork

HR in CA · October 2003

Sorry, Pork California is where I began and will end my HR career. My experiences include small attorney, a Fortune 500 office furniture manufacturer based in Michigan and a technology firm. All were included in holiday celebrations. Now do management go on team building retreats, and have exclusive get togethers? Sure, however many would prefer not to.

However since I live in the land of California, far from employer friendly, maybe it's all been a case of CYA. But it is the 'norm'.

rad · October 2003

Pork, I'm in MA and I have never heard of such a cruel thing. Either everyone celebrates or no one celebrates, period. I would not want to work for anyone who did it any differently. But to that note, I'm not a huge fan of Holiday celebrations in work, school, etc, I feel they belong with family and friends.

HRQ · October 2003

rad - I don't see pork's post as anything "cruel". It sounds like his company does something for everyone, just different functions for different audiences. THAT is pretty typical as far as I've seen. For the most part, it seems that managers host some kind of function for the "ranks", then the managers get a party where they don't have to work, they can just enjoy. I think that's how it should be. The ranks see managers doing something special for them, then the managers get a bit of fun later on.

Now, if the ranks are getting a frozen turkey and the managers all get a week in Hawaii, maybe THAT'S not so fair....

rad · November 2003

HRQ...I misread his post and thought only the big guys celebrated.

Pork - sorry about that. :-S (thats a sheepish face)

HRQ · November 2003

Try not to let it happen again rad. Nobody else ever misunderstands a post. x;-) x:D x;-) x:D x;-) x:D

HeRman39 · November 2003

Pork, be careful on giving turkeys or hams to ee's for the holidays. At one time we had such a practice and were confronted with cries of "fowl" and preferential treatment. Since all turkeys are not created equal, some ee's thought they were slighted when their bird did not measure up to that of a co-worker. Likewise, hams may be offensive to some ee's and some ee's may just not like turkey. We switched to giving out gift certificates to the grocery store.

marc · October 2003

Our departments regularly have department only functions. They do a lot of bonding, program planning, and sometimes, just a bit of fun. Yes, there is occasionally resentment, but it has been happening for so long that it is a part of the landscape now. We do have regular company wide get togethers that bridge the gaps that develop.

Why not have a production grouponly get together?

deniseE · October 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-30-03 AT 12:55PM (CST)[/font][p]I have to agree with the first post. Although we have a special "lunch" for the board members and Executive VP's, there is a holiday celebration for all employees held off-site. We do now charge a ticket price, but it's nominal, and we give away many tickets through raffles and contests in the various departments leading up to the event-to offset the costs to employees earning far less than their EVP counterparts.

HRQ · October 2003

We don't have a special party for our team. (corporate office) We host a holiday party for the Preschool Directors, then a separate one for the ASsistant Directors, all during operating hours. This way, the school management all get a "party" thrown for them, and they throw parties for their teams. The corporate staff pull names for who attends which party, so we all can go while still making sure our offices are all covered too.

Previous life: a hotel-wide luncheon was hosted by the managers for the staff, and the managers also had their own party hosted by the GM (put together by HR). No complaints that I can remember in the twelve years I was there.

ray a · October 2003

We have a party for directors only held near our corporate offices in Ocean City, MD at a nice hotel. There is a company uncheon for all ee's held separately.

San Francisco · October 2003

I can see there being separate parties if the locations are far apart or if there are too many people to have one big party. But if you are saying that that the production workers get nothing, that obviously would be wrong. Our General Office and branch office have a separate holiday party and the stores each have their individual party. But no other way for us to do it and the stores rather have their own party without us around. Whatever that says!

Elizabeth

safety · October 2003

We have an all plant holiday celebration off site and all ee's are invited. We bring in a Santa and have gifts for all children of employees along with drawings for ee's. On a separate date we have a salary appreciation gathering where we celebrate our success for the year. While there are grumblings from the hourly staff I don't believe it is a hot topic in our current workforce culture.

mushroomHR · October 2003

We're a manufacturing company and each year we have a gathering the week before Christmas where ALL employees are invited. We would never think of excluding the production employees from the office employees or vice versa. That just wouldn't be right since we're all in it together to make a profit.

scottorr · October 2003

We have a Holiday party for all employees. We do not offer any additional perks for executive staff beyond their salaries and bonus. other wise, we are all equal, all striving for the same goals. It sounds like your executive staff live in an ivory tower that would crumble pretty quickly if the production workers walked off the job. I have worked in that environment before and it is a real production and morale buster. Especially if the emplyees are aware of it.

TN HR · October 2003

I agree with Scott completely. Not only does this create animosity and an "us vs. them" mentality, but it is also the stuff that brings about union activity. I avoid these separate festivities the way I do assigned parking. Just my nickel's worth....for what it's worth

Gene

LindaS · October 2003

We are also a manufacturing facility (also union) and have a party every year for all active employees as well as the retirees. Door prizes are given, etc.. One year, before "my time" a number of union employees came to the party, ate the free dinner, won some door prizes, left and went to the union party (scheduled on the same nite) and actually used the prizes they won at the company party as door prizes at the union party!!! Management still believes, however, that we should continue having the party.

hrbanker · October 2003

We have a dinner for all employees. When money was really tight a few years ago, we had drinks & hors d'oeuvres instead. Our employees love getting together and it creates a wonderful working atmosphere.

We don't have anything special for the big shots. Everyone from the CEO and the directors to the custodial staff are invited and intermingle.

mwild31 · October 2003

As far as social gatherings - parties and the like - we don't have separate functions for separate groups - and what a bunch of nonsense to do otherwise. I don't care if it's a manufacturing environment, a retail environment or a professional one - separate social events always cause havoc (read: hurt feelings, etc. which waste production time by the way) - and are always bad for business. Does this hold true with other workplace issues such as benefits or pay - no. When it comes to company-paid benefits - it's structured a little different - it's all about what the market is doing. I can't get away with not paying the entire cost of a manager's family health package - because everyone else DOES pay for it. I can when it comes to the average employee. This is separate treatment based on market conditions - not separate treatment because of pecking order & who works closer to the boss - and the same holds true for pay.

From your post, it doesn't sound like you are necessarily going to be able to affect a change immediately, if at all - but maybe over the course of time - you might, if you agree that is, be able to help the company see the error of its ways.

Crout · October 2003

You can have special perks and parties, but if you're smart you keep it under wraps and try not to rub people's noses in it. I have a mental image of your office people partying up a storm in a large, well-lit palace while the production employees are huddled outside the gates waiting for scraps of food to be thrown over the fence for them. Is it something like that?

njjel · October 2003

In a previous life the office had a dinner party which the president of the company and vp attended in the evening and the union had an afternoon party for the kids with Santa. The two groups RARELY did things together. It was a union setting.

E Wart · October 2003

I agree that it is "easier" if all are treated equally and do the same thing (one function that includes all), but it just aint so.
I have worked in a company where each dept. Did "teambuilding things" like ball games etc. There were just two of just in HR. I asked one of the managers if we could "tag along with them" and was told no, for us to do our own things. I didn't really have a lot in common with my co-worker and didn't see any need for the 2 of us to do anything together so we didnt. However, it didn't hurt my feelings. Also have been with a company whose owner asked certain people to a Christmas party at his home. It really hurt the feelings of some employees who were not asked. (I would just as soon not have been included because I felt I had to get dressed up and drive 40 miles to see the same folks I worked with every day... gave up my Sat. night.)
Lately, we (manufaturing company) have started having a pot luck Thanksgiving luncheon where all bring things and company pays for turkey and paper goods. Lots of fun and relaxed atmosphere. (Use to have a Christmas party at country club for all, but ended up that fewer and fewer people showed up so stopped.)
You will never please everyone so do what works for you and just tell people you have no controll on it and just get on with life. If they are unhappy about it, have them give their manager suggestions on things they could do. (Put it back in their lap to take action rather than gripe.)
Happy holidays.
E Wart

Dasher · November 2003

If it is billed as a Company Holiday Party -- the entire company staff should be able to enjoy it. What a low blow to have the haves attend and the have-nots not only excluded but considered "disgruntled" when they object. Wow, sounds like they sure have a reason to be upset.

Uncas · November 2003

Miriam,

We have a Company sponsored Christmas party each year. All employees and their spouses, or significant others, what have you, are invited. Everyone from the CEO on down attends, and there is a lot of mingling between groups, managers, supervisors, hourly employees and various departments. We are a manufacturing operation and we run 24/7. Those employees who are working on the day of the paty are given a gift certificate for dinner for two at a nice resturant in town to compensate for inability to attend. We also sponsor a Company picnic in the summer, for all employees and their families. We have had the picnic at various venues, amusement parks, water slides, a baseball game, etc. Again, everyone, including the CEO attends and it is a lot of fun. The cost of these functions is minimal, when compared to the payback in higher morale. We are also a union shop and I am convinced that these types of functions, where all levels participate, can be very helpful in maintaining a good atmosphere in theplant.

cthr · November 2003

We also have a company wide holiday party. All employees and a guest are invited to attend. We do dinner, dancing, etc. We have two branches that are not in our local area, and we send them money to host their own celebration.

I worked for two large companies that were spread out across the country. At one, each region at their own party and at the other each location could have their own or they could combine with other locations.

I have never worked for a company that didn't have some type of celebration for all their employees.

Miriam George · November 2003

Thanks for all of the posts. I do think I need to add that we do lots of company-wide functions - one of which is a huge picnic with rides and entertainment mid-summer. Family members get to attend this with our employees.

Also, we do holiday dinners (paid for by the company) for all shifts for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. These are held at our facility.

So, it isn't as though we only have special things for the office.

I plan to use some of your responses to encourage management to take a fresh look at this practice next year and perhaps do a company-wide event off-site for the holidays - not just for office folks.

Dasher · November 2003

Good for you Miriam! That's sounds like progress.

Different Strokes for Different Groups

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