From drinking too much to inappropriate behavior, company holiday parties are notorious for a variety of human resources nightmares. Moreover, your Dade County company could potentially be liable if an employee falls and hurts themselves, makes unwanted advances on a co-worker, or worse yet, gets into a car accident. So here are some suggestions to follow to help keep your holiday party safe.
- Do hire a bartender. If you’re having a holiday party at the office, instead of at a restaurant, then hire a bartender rather then letting people serve themselves. Also, have a discussion ahead of time with your bartender to ensure they know to cut off anyone who seems visibly intoxicated.
- Do offer non-alcoholic drinks. Be sure to offer plenty of alternative drink selections like coffee, soda, and juice. If your budget permits, you may even want to offer a juice bar, a coffee bar with cappuccinos and flavored coffees, or create a signature non-alcoholic drink for the event.
- Do offer plenty of food. Whether it’s a sit down dinner, a buffet, or a cocktail party, make sure you offer plenty of food, particularly ones high in carbohydrates, which will help to absorb alcohol.
- Don’t let the cocktail hour go on too long if you’re having a sit down dinner. That’s the time usually when people tend to drink the most.
- Do keep a close watch. You should plan on staying sober so you can keep a close watch on party guests and deal with any situations that should arise. Depending on how large the party is, you may want to assign additional team members from the human resources department or management staff to watch out for any signs of inappropriate behavior or overindulgence in alcohol.
- Do offer a ride. Before the party, make sure you get the phone numbers for several different taxi services in case people need a ride home.
- Don’t let company management join in on any post-party gatherings. This ensures a distinction between your party and any continued celebration.
- Do inform employees ahead of time about any disciplinary actions that can be taken if they act inappropriately.
And with that said, the team here at Future Force Personnel would like to thank you for your support in 2010 – as we truly wouldn’t be the Dade County staffing firm we are today without our valued clients and candidates. So thank you! And we wish you happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous New Year!