End of year functions can produce challenging issues for employers so it's an important time to remind your employees of the expected standards of acceptable behaviour.
Most employers are now very aware that their obligations to employee welfare and safety can still apply outside of work hours and outside of work premises. The festive season is an important time to remind your employees of the expected standards of acceptable behaviour. Once it was simply what people did at a work function that could land them into trouble. Today it is more complicated. It can also include publicly expressed opinions, photos posted online and recordings that can echo long after the send key is pressed!
Organisations often put time and cost into end of year celebrations to reward employees, so it also pays to spend some time ensuring that the festivities end positively for everyone involved.
Here are some practical steps we suggest you follow:
- Send a reminder to all staff and managers in the days leading up to the function reminding them of behaviour that is acceptable.
- Make the message clear that onsite or offsite events, whether a client Christmas party, a team lunch or a corporate box at the cricket, do not mean standards of behaviour slip.
- Arrange for a designated time for drinks to finish and the party to end.
- Discourage ‘kick on events’ and advise that any which occur are not sanctioned.
- Have a system in place for transport home.
- Check that your policies, procedures, codes of conduct are unambiguous and set clear expectations.
- Establish a framework for recording all incidents and complaints – do not ignore complaints.
Speak to us for advice and to ensure your policies cover work-related but 'out of hours' conduct and conduct away from the work premises. Your HRdocs subscribers can download an updated Christmas / End of Year Staff Party letter reminding employees about expectations at end of year functions.