Sarah Hughes’ Post

It’s the time of year when HR does an eyeroll and dons the ‘Fun Police’ hat as we plan the corporate Christmas parties. What does a corporate ‘do’ look like in 2023? Ideas welcome. How do we limit the likelihood of grievances the week afterwards?? I once tried to limit alcohol at an AGM by making literal Beer Tokens. Did it work? No. Senior managers turned into teenagers and got pre-loaded in the hotel room beforehand. Off their faces by 7.15pm. Violence ensued. (Though it makes a good case study in my training sessions these days!) If alcohol isn’t everyone’s cuppa (think health, faith, generation, sheer weariness of drunk colleagues) and is a fine corporate line of liability, what can we do? Awards ceremonies. Create a personalised Award for each member of your team based on their ‘superskill’ that they have demonstrated in 2023. A certificate will be kept and treasured. For hybrid teams? Send everyone a small hamper in the post, do the awards ceremony, and then ask a kind soul to run a very-quickly-badly-behaved quiz. This was my department’s 2020 Covid-limited ‘do’ and I swear it was one of the best I’ve been to. Thanks to those who helped – you know who you are! 💚 Give departments a budget per head and let them decide. Go karting always a popular competitive craic. An interdepartmental social?? Who would you link with? If any department? Is this a terrible idea? Family days at work, including a kids’ panto if possible. This was always a winner at one of my previous employers. The ‘Everything New Day’. The team decide what they have never done before and have a go. A generous client of ours runs ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ where there’s a stella prize given away in a free company-wide raffle. Everyone gets a ticket everyday and someone always wins. Good food always works. I love tapas. It’s sociable, caters for all tastes and preferences, and it keeps on comin’ to the table. By the end of the meal, I am a stomach with a limb at each corner. A community volunteering day for something local that needs a hand? Everyone walks away with a warm ‘spirit of the season’ glow – followed by food (are you spotting a theme yet?) So what are you planning this year?? 

Albany HR’s Top Tips For Employers Planning Christmas Parties   As the Christmas party season approaches, it is important to ensure all work events run smoothly and safely. Hosting social events is a great way to boost morale and show appreciation for your employees' hard work throughout the year. Remember you have a legal duty to protect the health and safety of your workforce, and this includes Christmas parties. Here are some top tips to assist you in your party planning:   𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: To ensure everyone enjoys the event safely, remind employees that an organised work event is an extension of the workplace, requiring appropriate behaviour. Accusations of misconduct, including bullying or harassment, may lead to the implementation of the disciplinary or grievance policy. Emphasise the importance of professionalism and respect for colleagues during the event. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: When choosing a venue and date for the party, consider the needs of your diverse workforce. Ensure the venue is accessible to all employees and think about the timing of your party. For example, scheduling Christmas celebrations at lunchtime allows scope for those with childcare or caring responsibilities to participate. And as not all religions or countries celebrate Christmas and others may find this a difficult time of your due to personal circumstances or financial pressures take account of this in your planning too. For example don’t make attendance mandatory. 𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: If there is alcohol at the event remind employees to drink responsibly. You should clearly communicate any company policies on drugs and alcohol misuse and expectations of behaviour. You may also need to consider how employees can get home safely. And remember some employees may not drink alcohol so try and cater for everyone. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻: Thank everyone for their hard work this year and remind them to have fun at the event.   A well-planned Christmas party can positively impact your workforce, creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for all employees.🎄🎉   You can go further and introduce a dedicated policy on behaviour at work-related social events. Having a separate policy is beneficial as it provides clear expectations on professionalism, preventing misconduct while outlining a consistent approach to enforcement that is aligned with your organisational values. The policy ensures legal compliance, promotes inclusivity, and enhances employee well-being.   If you need help with a work-related social event policy or support with implementing inclusive events, please get in touch for a chat at [email protected] or by phone on 0131 364 4186.   #SMESupport #HRConsulting #WorkplaceCulture #ChristmasPartyTips #AlbanyHR #EdinburghHR #ChrismtasParty #HR

It is that time of year, Christmas party season! 🎄🎁🎉 We all love a Christmas party, don't we? What a great way to bring everyone together and say thanks for all your hard work during the year. But what about during the year, should we be acknowledging and rewarding peoples efforts during the course of the year in small ways to show they are appreciated, not just lumping it all into one lavish party. I am not saying we shouldn't be having lavish parties, I love a night out, but is it for everyone? Will everyone get the same out of it, is it a fair reward for all? Does everyone go? 🤔 Just a few thoughts that came to my mind reading this article about staff rewards. #EmployeeEngagement #EmployeeRetention #ChristmasParty

It is that time of year, Christmas party season! 🎄🎁🎉 We all love a Christmas party, don't we? What a great way to bring everyone together and say thanks for all your hard work during the year. But what about during the year, should we be acknowledging and rewarding peoples efforts during the course of the year in small ways to show they are appreciated, not just lumping it all into one lavish party. I am not saying we shouldn't be having lavish parties, I love a night out, but is it for everyone? Will everyone get the same out of it, is it a fair reward for all? Does everyone go? 🤔 Just a few thoughts that came to my mind reading this article about staff rewards. #EmployeeEngagement #EmployeeRetention #ChristmasParty

Let's talk about Christmas parties 🎄 🎉 With the festive season almost upon us, we're delving into the world of company Christmas parties and asking the question - are they really what employees want? 🤔 In our latest blog post, we'll explore whether company Christmas parties should be compulsory, the impact they can have on social anxiety and the introverts dilemma. 🎅 Read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/erZi2HvQ 🦌🥂 What are YOUR thoughts on company Christmas parties? Share your thoughts in the comments! 📣 Pauline O'Brien Orfhlaith Fitzpatrick #ChristmasParties #EmployeeEngagement #CorporateEvents #AptitudeRecruitment #Recruitment #Christmas

Happy 1st December Linked In🎄🤶🏼⛄️🎄🎅🏼☃️🎄🧑🏼🎄❄️ If you’re anything like me, the ringtone has been changed to ‘Last Christmas’, Love Actually is on a permanent loop and you’re fully getting into the festivities 🥳🙌🏼 And if you’re a business owner, you’re probably throwing a party for your team and looking forward to celebrating all your successes over the year 🤗 While it’s so important to recognise and reward your team, sorry to sound all doom and gloom, but it’s also important to still have some boundaries into acceptable conduct 🥇🥈🥉 Works nights out are generally considered an extension of the workplace so its important to be clear with your teams what is expected 😌 ❌Gross misconduct is still gross misconduct - it’s never ok to steal a bottle of gin or flash a coworker 🤭 ❌Violent or aggressive behaviour should not be tolerated. Getting into a punch up, even if it’s out of character, just because you’ve had a few drinks, is not acceptable ❌As an employer, you have a duty of care towards all your employees. Harassment of any kind whether it’s due to sex or race or any other protected characteristic is not ‘banter’ and should not be accepted. ❌If colleagues are a little too close (queue the age old office affair) they should be aware that even while on a night out, they should still behave as they would in the office But obviously we still want people to enjoy themselves 🥳 so what can employers do to remind their employees of their obligations? ✅Remind employees that policies such as Disciplinary and Personal Relationships at Work are still enforceable ✅Consider limiting drinks using a voucher system or similar, rather than a free bar, which leaves people competing for who can drink the most while the company are paying! ✅Communicate safe options for colleagues to get home such as local taxi services or try to secure discounts for local hotels so people aren’t travelling while under the influence ✅Consider the event itself, can you do something that isn’t solely focused on booze? Maybe look for an activity before everyone starts drinking. It’ll encourage a little healthy competition, feel inclusive for everyone and mean that there’s not as much time for getting sloshed 🥴 And if all else fails, resort to showing everyone pictures of your cat and dog under the 🎄😂😂 #hrforsmes #hollahr #hrconsultancy #christmas #christmaspartyseason

🎄 Wondering how to thank your staff at Christmas or in a last-minute fix for a party plan? Here's a quick guide from our talk with business development manager Melanie: 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: It demonstrates care, boosts staff loyalty, productivity, and retention. Breaking down work-related barriers fosters genuine connections. 𝑺𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒀𝒐𝒖: A simple "thank you" goes a long way—write it or say it sincerely. Celebration doesn't require a lavish party; consider a gathering at your premises with Prosecco, crisps, and festive treats. Know your team; if structured activities are needed, opt for a quiz, games night, or even a group walk. 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓: Explore corporate volunteering opportunities during the busy Christmas season. Bond as a team, have fun, and contribute to your community. 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒔: Acknowledge and support causes your employees are involved in outside of work. Attend events related to their interests, fostering a sense of community. 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔: Tailor your appreciation to each staff member's preferences for a more meaningful impact. Boosting morale can lead to increased employee engagement. Whatever you choose, make it about your team, their interests, and enjoyment. Happy Christmas! 🌟 Read all of Melanie's recommendations on our blog #EmployeeAppreciation #ChristmasCheers #TeamBonding

About me - focused on being the change I want to see My first CIPD branch event was not an enjoyable one. I was studying my HR qualification full time in Manchester. I lived in North Wales so my local branch was Merseyside, but I didn’t know anyone in the branch due to studying out of area. I wanted to make local HR connections and so decided to attend a local event. It was a Christmas social and quiz night. An ideal opportunity to mix, meet and mingle - so I thought. Instead I was an outsider. No one made any attempt to welcome me or even talk to me. People were very much in their little groups. I was driving so no opportunity for Dutch courage. I left the event early, deciding the local branch wasn’t for me. A few years later a contact from another network invited me to join a local CIPD committee. I joined, and then became the committee chair. Remembering my experience I wanted to change things. ‘I want this CIPD group to be the most customer friendly group in the UK’ I announced. That was my mission. I had extensive knowledge of customer service from my MA thesis to inform me of good practice. The focus was on making our local members want to attend events 🔑making sure they knew what to expect 🔑having people in place to welcome every attendee and to help them meet other attendees 🔑providing easy to get to, park at, nice to be in venues 🔑providing food 🔑trying new times, venues, food (the bacon butties and Prosecco offering went down a storm) 🔑being as inclusive as possible (different timings, food and drink options to meet all possible needs) 🔑actively asking for feedback on events, in particular how we could improve the member experience, asking what support members wanted 🔑away days for committee members to plan and get to know each other as a team 🔑involving non committee members in discussion about the support we offered. The result was an increase in people attending events, and different types of events that attracted new attendees. I believe in being the change you want to see, which is the motivation to write my first book after experiencing a HR function who didn’t have the #influence or interest in changing things that needed to be changed. Are you being the change you want to see? #kristabites #crediblehr

Christmas is just over 2 weeks away and I am sure you are already thinking about the upcoming work Christmas party. It is a time for your team to let their hair down and enjoy themselves however there are so key do’s and don’t to avoid conflict and claims such as bringing the company into disrepute, sexual harassment and violence. This is a quick FAQ guide to send out to make sure everyone aware of the epectations. Do the normal rules of gross misconduct apply at a Christmas Party? Yes they do. Regardless of if the party is held in or out of the office it should be considered to be an extension of the workplace, so the same rules will apply. An act of gross misconduct is serious enough to breach the contract between employer and employee and justify summary dismissal. For example if your employee were to hit someone at work, it is likely to be a gross misconduct offence, however at a party lines can get blurred possibly due to alcohol the employer has provided. Other examples are damage to property and harassment of any kind. If an incident occurs which is closely connected to work, then it is likely that the employer will be able to start a disciplinary investigation. Generally, Christmas parties are an opportunity for employees to relax in a social setting and spend time having fun. However what happens at the Christmas party does not always stay at the Christmas party. DOs for Employers Invite all employees to the party even if absent through sickness, maternity or paternity leave; Remind employees of the company’s expectations and be clear on what will be considered inappropriate behaviour; Control the amount of free alcohol available & make sure non-alcoholic drinks are provided; If food is being served make sure you have considered and catered for everyone including allergies (peanut, gluten etc) Be ready (although hopefully not needed) to deal with any inappropriate behaviour in line with company policy Avoid discussions about career prospects or remuneration with employees; Consider nominating a member of management to refrain from alcohol at the event in order to deal with any emergencies or incidents that arise. Don’ts for Employers Make the party mandatory Ask employees to pay for the party Limit the festivities to Christmas - Most cultures and religions celebrate some holiday in December so be inclusive and encourage celebrating all faiths DOs for Employees Have Fun Plan how you are getting home (arrange a cab / book a hotel near the party venue) If drinking alcohol know your limits DON’Ts for Employees Forget you are effectively still ‘at work’, so behave accordingly Drink too much so that you do not know what you are doing Get involved in office gossip or ‘banter’ which could be offensive Discuss why you should have a pay rise with your manager Make any unwelcome advances, sexual or otherwise Become violent or aggressive. Forget to enjoy the event! #party #christmas #relax #enjoy

What inspired the creation of the SWAG: Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness Awards? The creation of the SWAG (Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness) Awards stems from a realization about the prevailing culture of award ceremonies. Observing a noticeable absence of recognition for social workers and their unwavering dedication to aiding children, families, and communities, I felt compelled to address this disparity. While some might dismiss their efforts as "tHaTs yOuR JOB or THats wHAt you siGNed uP FoR," it's important to acknowledge that every recipient of an award is being recognized for the work they chose to do. Social workers, too, merit a dedicated platform to celebrate their consistent acts of compassion and sacrifice for societal betterment. We've witnessed other professions lauded for their heroism and hard work, and rightly so; why not extend the same recognition to social workers? With over two decades of experience as a mental health practitioner in social work, I've encountered numerous triumphs and trials. Securing funding for this event, aimed at honoring the tireless efforts of social workers who steadfastly support others, has been one of the most challenging experiences in my 25-year career. Regrettably, this difficulty only reinforced the necessity for the creation of the SWAG Awards. I extend my gratitude to the supporters and sponsors who continue to champion our vision and mission of recognizing the heartfelt contributions of social workers, often overlooked and undervalued. Your backing of the SWAG Awards and the social work profession enables us to host this annual ceremony, ensuring that these dedicated individuals receive the acknowledgment they truly deserve.🫶🏾 #SWAGPGH2025 #socialworkers #socialworkersmatter