Christmas isn’t cancelled – the office party goes on

Winning an award for one of the first Christmas stories to pass our way this year, combined with the obligatory credit crunch reference, the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) assures us that the office party is not dead.

The majority of firms (60%) say they will be throwing a Christmas party or lunch for their staff in 2008.

It seems the private sector is much more likely to offer a festive lunch for employees (77%), than the public (24%) and voluntary sectors (51%).  It remains to be seen how the part-nationalised banks celebrate or otherwise this year.

Finally, when it comes to Christmas parties, size matters.  The smaller your oganisation, the more likely you are to find yourself in the staff canteen with mistletoe, cheap booze and a plate full of mince pies.

The survey reveals 82% of organisations with up to 49 staff will celebrate the festive season in some way, compared to only 37% with more than 5,000 employees.

[Picture credit: D'Arcy Norman @ Flickr]