More Than Half Of Offices Aren't Planning Holiday Parties This Year: Survey

HO HO NO: Half Of Bosses Aren't Planning A Holiday Party
businessman wearing a party hat ...
businessman wearing a party hat ...

Ready to deck the halls of your office and hang mistletoe in the break room? You may want to hold off.

Of over 1,000 senior managers surveyed, only 44 percent said that their company was planning an office holiday party. A similar survey from 2005 found that 73 percent of managers at Fortune 1000 companies said their company hosts an office party.

The economy may be one reason your company isn't hosting a holiday party. "We imagine many companies are still keeping an eye on the bottom line as a result of the economy," Cynthia Kong, public relations manager for Office Team, stated in an email.

Other bosses may fear potential legal repercussions and otherwise unpleasant surprises.

A recent survey from the Creative Group asked advertising and marketing executives to recall the most unbelievable things they have heard of an employee doing at a company event. Responses ranged from: "A person rode naked on a Ferris wheel" to "We caught an employee going through everyone's desk while we were partying."

At a holiday party in Rochester, N.Y., someone dressed as Santa stripped down to a jock strap.

Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that 10 percent of workers know of a colleague who has either been disciplined or dismissed for their behavior at a holiday office party.

That said, office holiday parties provide an opportunity for co-workers to bond in a relaxed setting

The National Federation of Independent Business offers some tips for ensuring safety and sanity at your office holiday party. Tips include hiring professional bartenders, reminding employees about harassment policies and making sure employees have safe transport home. Others say it's as simple as establishing a two drink limit for yourself.

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