six ways to avoid an office party disaster

Six ways to avoid an office party disaster

How to ensure that an event intended to promote camaraderie and enjoy each other’s company outside of work doesn’t involve police, an ambulance and a hospital stopover

It’s office party season again and this usually coincides with ‘office silly season’ as companies provide free food and booze and expect their staff to be nice and considerate for a few hours while enjoying a ‘little tipple’ in the canteen.

However, this can soon turn into a bawdy, noisy and sometimes dangerous party that soon spirals out of control before eventually ending up with the police being called and a promise from the MD that they’ll never hold another party again.

The problem is, an office get together can be an excellent way to round off the year and remember that our work colleagues are all human after-all.

Banning office parties on health and safety grounds or just because a few people have transgressed in the past could actually cause more harm than good to office morale.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP STOP YOUR PARTY BECOMING A DISASTER

The best ways to hold an office Christmas party that doesn’t take out the fun but ensures everyone’s safety and dignity intact

Invite spouses

It’s incredible how the human animal changes when he or she is away from the nest! Yes, it’s patronising in the extreme but at parties where spouses are invited tend to be far more sober affairs but still a lot of fun.

The one downside to this is that people who are on their own may feel left out, but you should still try your best to encourage them to bring a friend.

Don’t have a free bar

Yeah, I know, obvious. Free bars will be abused by even the most gentle office folk. Who wouldn’t? Have a few bottles of wine on the table, or offer a couple of free drinks via voucher or something, but then let people buy their own alcohol.

Don’t even discount the beer – price is a good way to regulate drink.

DO have free soft drinks

It’s a responsible employer that has a free soda fountain or bottles available for those who don’t want to drink. For a start it takes away the stigma of being sober at a party, the excuse simply being “I’m drinking the company’s free stuff, it’s win-win!”. But it also encourages people to be designated drivers.

Provide transport

If you’re taking the staff off-premises then provide transport there from the office and then try, if possible, to drop people off near home.

If it’s impossible to get people near their homes then get them to good transport links like taxi ranks, train stations or bus terminals.

Provide food

A slap-up meal is a fantastic way to ensure people’s stomachs are lined and the drink won’t go straight to their heads. Studies have found that drinking with a meal reduces the amount of alcohol that reaches the bloodstream.

Provide entertainment

The best party I ever went to had a little mini Las Vegas set up in one of the rooms. No real money was used, instead a prize was given at the end of the night to the person that one the most fake money.

This was an incredible way of building spirit between people that didn’t normally socialise and it also slowed down the drinking. Watch people in a pub as they’re playing cribbage, cards or doing a quiz and you’ll notice that when they’re thinking, the glass rarely goes to the lips.

It’s an idle brain that drinks a lot!

So there you go, follow these simple tips and have an enjoyable and safe Christmas party!

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