Cancelling Christmas parties - scroogism or social responsibility?
Several of our client organisations scaled back or cancelled Christmas parties this year. Do you think organisations that do that are tightening their belts out of fiscal responsibility, managing perceptions and potential criticism of flamboyance in the face of job insecurity or retrenchments or rethinking ways of spending the money?
One of my client organisations cancelled a large-scale Christmas party as they thought it was disrespectful to celebrate when some staff had been retrenched (and others were likely to follow) however they sought input from staff as to which charities staff would like the party budget to be asssigned.
What are your thoughts? Does an organisation have the right to celebrate at the end of a tough year, honour its staff and show appreciation with an end of year party or should it be up for negotiation? Do you think the risks of things getting out of hand between colleagues at notorious Christmas parties is enough of a reason to cancel them?
What did your organisation do?
Posted by
at
09:27:43
Fair enough if companies cut back on alcohol served or type of function if people are going to use the opportunity to get blind drunk at someone else’s expense and then create havoc. Besides it sends a message about not enabling the behaviour you don’t want!