Déjà vu anyone? So here we all are back in national lockdown. This is going to be a hard pill to swallow but no one can deny that it’s certainly in the national interest. Case numbers are sky-rocketing and this lockdown is being framed as our ticket to have Christmas with our families.
But what does this mean for workplace festivities? We know in the grand scheme of things that this may seem like a minor point, but for many employees the end-of-year Christmas party is often a much-anticipated event.
There is no denying that celebrations are going to look very different this year and workplaces are going to have to adapt. There are a few options:
- Cancel the Christmas work party and plan to hold it when things have settled down next year
- Hold a virtual party
- Send a hamper of goodies out to the workforce
- Plan a get-together and hope that this four-week lockdown really does only last until 3rd December
- A little bit of all the above!
The issue is that while the lockdown is a moveable feast, loyalty within a company is not. That loyalty is a priority, to be nurtured this year with especial care to give your staff confidence that there is a future.
So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the options outlined above? We think it depends on employee expectation. What we suggest you do is TALK to your workforce. There is no point in trying to second-guess what people want. We know, it’s impossible to please everyone, but this is the year when employers need to tailor their Christmas celebrations to meet a need: making your employees feel special. This year, more than ever, it is important.
