Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

HR practice

Christmas cutbacks: the year of frugal festivities

by Personnel Today 10 Dec 2009
by Personnel Today 10 Dec 2009

The 2009 IRS Christmas funding survey, to be published exclusively by XpertHR on 14 December, reveals that half of the employers polled (48%) are planning to either spend less than last year on Christmas festivities, bonuses and gifts, or not contribute any money at all.

The survey found just a handful (7%) plan to increase their spending. In many cases, employees who want to celebrate Christmas with their colleagues will either have to fork out for themselves, or accept that festivities this year will be less lavish.

Four in 10 (45%) of the 113 employers taking part in the research will be spending less on company-wide Christmas parties and one in five (22%) will cut back on celebratory lunches (see chart below)

Among those spending on Christmas in 2009, the average total budget per head is £51 and the average outlay for the company party is £30.

Apart from cutting back on Christmas, almost nine in 10 organisations (89%) have found other ways to cut costs during the past year – the most common measures being redundancies (59%), a freeze on pay (54%), and reduced use of contract staff (51%).

Charlotte Wolff, report author and XpertHR employee relations editor, says: “Last year’s IRS research into Christmas working practice found that employers were keen to reward employees for their efforts, with plenty of Christmas parties planned and a significant amount of money on offer from employers to fund parties.

“This year, we are seeing a noticeable difference. Employers are looking for creative ways to cut costs and cutting back on Christmas parties, lunches and bonuses can be one of the least controversial ways to do this.”

Employers were also asked how employees had reacted to the past year’s cutbacks. Employees at just over half (51%) the organisations surveyed understand and accept why cost-cutting measures have to happen, and staff at one-third (32%) of companies, while unhappy, are not actively opposed. Only 1% of organisations report employees actively opposing the cutbacks.

“It appears that UK employees are generally compliant when it comes to cutbacks, even when they are actually unhappy about changes that are being made,” adds Wolff.

“Often this is because they are keen to hold on to their jobs, but employers who carry out a targeted communication exercise alongside difficult changes can gain genuine support from employees.”


Alcohol misuse during the Christmas party season – employers’ checklist

Helen Dallimore, of law firm Osborne Clarke, has put together the following tips for employers:

  1. Identify the potential risk to the business of alcohol misuse by employees, and the correct approach to adopt.
  2. Ensure that disciplinary rules include alcohol misuse.
  3. Adopt an alcohol policy.
  4. Consider reminding employees about their obligations in relation to alcohol use.
  5. Be consistent when applying the rules and policy on alcohol use.
  6. Deal immediately with employees who are under the influence of alcohol in the workplace.
  7. Take disciplinary action if appropriate.

You can read this article (part of a series dealing with alcohol misuse during the Christmas period) in full on XpertHR.


Further reading: XpertHR frequently asked questions

Christmas parties:

  • As Christmas is a Christian festival, can an employer still hold a Christmas party if some of its employees belong to other religions?
  • What issues should employers take into account regarding the timing of a work-related social event such as a Christmas party?
  • What issues should employers take into account when organising the catering for work-related social events?

Other FAQs:

  • Where an employer has provided employees with a Christmas hamper in previous years, is it under any obligation to continue this practice?
  • Should employees who practise religions other than Christianity be given additional time off in lieu where a bank holiday is aligned to a Christian festival such as Easter?
  • Can employers be held liable for harassment that takes place during a work-related social event?

Other useful resources:

  • Christmas party checklist: what measures can you take to avoid costly employment claims?
  • Model letter: Statement to employees in advance of a Christmas party or similar work-related event

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Questionnaires: how to use them as training aids
next post
Government must reform public sector pay systems not implement a cap, experts warn

You may also like

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

26 May 2023

Employment bodies IES and IPA to merge

27 Apr 2023

Redundancy letters at BBC were ‘standard HR exercise’

17 Apr 2023

JPMorgan Chase tells leaders to spend more time...

13 Apr 2023

Twitter worker: ‘HR can’t tell me if I’m...

7 Mar 2023

What does a reduction in remote roles mean...

2 Feb 2023

2023 predictions for HR: From ‘quiet hiring’ to...

4 Jan 2023

2022 in review: Personnel Today editor Rob Moss...

22 Dec 2022

Top 10 HR questions November 2022: probationary periods

1 Dec 2022

Is your organisation irresistible? Josh Bersin talks to...

25 Nov 2022

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+