Christmas Is A Business Turkey

Scrooge-like bosses, uptight staff who can’t relax and enforced partying.  This bleak festive picture in many businesses this Christmas is predicted by the Chartered Management Institute.

Fewer and fewer businesses are planning to hold a Christmas party for staff.  This year around two thirds of businesses said they would hold a party way below the Christmas party peak year of 2002 when 86% of firms held festive events for employees.

One in five business actually believe Christmas is a chore, 39% will make no financial provision for a staff party (despite a small tax incentive for doing so), and only 29% of organisations try to encourage a relaxed atmosphere during the festive period.

According to the survey, 43% of managers and staff believe the atmosphere at office parties would be improved if partners were allowed to attend, while 33% said Christmas celebrations would be better off, if there was less political correctness.

Clearly the latter not caring too much about a bit of ’embarrassing-the-morning-after’ kissing under the office mistletoe, while the former probably hope partners will keep tipsy office Casanovas on the straight and narrow!