Christmas party or not? Bah humbug!

by Robert Hunt on December 19, 2011

Having an office or works Christmas party this week? If so, what’s the company policy and what is regarded as acceptable behaviour?

Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, (CIPD) quoted in The Guardian’s Workblog,  suggests 10% of workers know of a colleague who has either been disciplined or dismissed for inappropriate behaviour at a Christmas party.

Common reasons apparently include fighting, threatening behaviour, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination on the grounds of disability or religion, and “other inappropriate behaviour” which could include, for example, unorthodox use of the office photocopier, amorous activity on company premises or insulting the boss.

As the Workblog sagely advises: ‘Remember… your bottom and the office photocopier should never meet.’

Petra Wilton of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), again quoted in the Guardian, says that their research indicates that 41 per cent of companies are not having a party this year.

But she says: “In a climate of redundancies and stress, no one will expect a lavish do, but cancelling any kind of end of year celebration altogether can be a blow to people who have worked incredibly hard through a difficult year. Even if the budget is tiny it is still worth showing your appreciation in a small way.

“An end of year party is the traditional time to thank your staff for their hard work and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to show your appreciation. Buying mince pies and chocolates or providing an early finish so the team can go out offers a chance to say thank you and to enjoy a more informal environment.”

But one team is not going to be so lucky. According to media reports Harry Redknapp has banned Tottenham players from having a Christmas party. Manchester City have held a fancy-dress Christmas party and Arsenal’s players have been pictured enjoying a night out in London, The Guardian reports.

But  Redknapp believes a squad night out can only spell trouble at a time when they face a run of four Premier League games in a fortnight.

“No more Christmas parties. We are too busy playing football, we have too many games and they have to concentrate on playing and getting on with their football,” he said.

I for one won’t be feeling sorry for them – after all they get paid an awful lot more than their fans.  But perhaps Harry should go round the dressing room with a plate of mince pies at half-time, just to avoid being dubbed a Scrooge.

www.cipd.co.uk

www.managers.org.uk

www.the guardian.co.uk

Visit the Fuse Learning website: www.fuselearning.co.uk

{ 0 comments }

£250 Million available for training?

December 14, 2011

Last month the Prime Minister went on record promising £250 million to fund employer-led training programmes. But was he over-promising and will he be under-delivering?
Perhaps I’m too cynical, but how often do we hear politicians make speeches and then the reality is very different to the rhetoric?
Undeterred, the CIPD is urging employers to seize the [...]

Read the full article →

It’s Golden Bull Awards Day!

December 9, 2011

Attention all civil servants, local government employees – and business gobbledygook speakers – today is a day especially for you – Plain English Day.
Yes, today’s the day when the Plain English Campaign announces the short-listed entrants for its awards including the Golden Bull and Foot in Mouth.
The Campaign has been around for more than 30 [...]

Read the full article →

Switch that thing off! Or: why can’t we leave our ditigal tools and toys alone?

November 28, 2011

Are we now slaves to our digital devices? Seems like it, according to my recent experience and to  research into employee behaviour.
The other week I was in a day-long seminar/workshop with a dozen other people.  Everyone there had expressed a personal interest in attending, the subject was relevant to us all, the venue was fine, [...]

Read the full article →

Assessment centres are still important in recruitment

November 23, 2011

Getting the right person into the right job is a major challenge for everyone in HR and recruitment,  so its perhaps not surprising that, despite the cost, assessment centres continue to be widely used in the selection process, a survey indicates.
In assessment centres candidates come together in a group and undertake various individual and group [...]

Read the full article →

Want to get ahead? Then do nothing about it!

November 17, 2011

I’ve spent a lot of time with people who have used their own time and money to learn new skills and gain qualifications to help them progress. Yet it seems that many employees who are not satisfied with their career progression won’t do anything to help themselves.
Some 42 per cent of the 2,000 people who [...]

Read the full article →

Are YOU an effective manager?

November 11, 2011

Your are? That’s good, because you are not contributing to the ineffective management that could be costing British business over £19 billion a year.
I always love it when figures like that are bounced around. 19 billion! But that’s apparently the annual cost of lost working hours according to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
The figure is [...]

Read the full article →

More good leaders urgently needed in industry and commerce

November 1, 2011

We all know that businesses need good leaders if they are to thrive in today’s difficult economic conditions, and we at Fuse Learning are frequently asked by clients about leadership development skills. And not before time, if a new survey is anything to go by, as it underlines the fact that there is an overall [...]

Read the full article →

NHS in hot water with the Info Commissioner – as ever

October 28, 2011

As sure as winter follows autumn, we can be sure that despite so many warnings and words of advice, someone somewhere or other in the NHS is going to fall foul of the Data Protection Act.
This month’s candidates for naming and shaming by the Information Commissioner are: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust; the University Hospitals [...]

Read the full article →

Do you really check those references and qualifications?

October 25, 2011

When someone applies for a job with you, do you always check their references and qualifications? You do? Then good for you. But not everyone does, so it seems.
On Monday a man who posed for years as a qualified doctor was jailed for 27 months, including 18 months for receiving what is still quaintly called [...]

Read the full article →