Yahoo Finance The Notebook: Christine Braamskamp on avoiding festive fallouts this party season
Where interesting people say interesting things. Today, Christine Braamskamp, Jenner & Block London office managing partner, takes the Notebook pen.
Tis the Season for Party Planning: How to Avoid Festivity Fallout
As the festive season kicks off, office Christmas party organisers brace for the usual rollercoaster of year-end revelry. But it’s not just about spreading Christmas cheer anymore; there’s a keen eye on preventing mishaps that could rain on the parade and bring about serious reputational or regulatory woes. Every January and February, we see a surge in misconduct complaints post-party season and they’re drawing increased internal or regulatory scrutiny.
The workplace is sobering up with unlimited alcohol becoming rarer and with tighter controls on consumption during office events. Businesses are pulling out all the stops, not just to save face but to protect employee safety and wellbeing, while trying to keep the festive spirit alive. The era of the free-flowing open bar is fading faster than last year’s holiday leftovers, with stricter start and finish times. Forget just drinks; now companies are splurging more on food, thinking that a well-fed workforce is a happy and content one.
Inclusivity now, rightly, takes centre stage, moving away from exclusive, alcohol-centric activities toward non-drinking alternatives that allow everyone to partake in the festivities. A novel approach involves designated sober party-goers, ensuring a swift response to incidents and emphasising commitment to attendee well-being.
However, superficial adjustments won’t cut it. To truly future-proof, management boards must work with HR departments to adopt a comprehensive risk mitigation strategy. This involves clear communication, code of conduct reminders, and training programs on responsible drinking and appropriate conduct, not as mere checkboxes but as the backbone of a safe and inclusive work environment.
In case of misconduct, swift and decisive action is critical. Companies need robust reporting mechanisms, clear investigation protocols, and transparent communication to manage aftermath effectively.
As companies gear up for festivities, it’s not all fun and games. By putting the right plans in place, they can ensure the season of celebration doesn’t become a catalyst for corporate reckoning in the new year.
If we drink too much [at a work event] there’s a stigma, but if we don’t there’s a stigma.
Sandra Parker who runs Just the Tonic, a coaching programme to help people overcome alcohol problems, in an FT analysis on how alcohol has become a crutch for professional women.
Part-time workers penalised
New research from Timewise reveals that part-time work remains a hurdle to career advancement. In a survey of 4,000 workers, half of managers doubt the promotion potential for part-time employees, highlighting the ongoing resistance to widespread flexible work arrangements. The persistence of this mindset threatens to exacerbate gaps in progression and salary between men and women, people with disabilities and caregivers. A participant in the study, a mother of two, shared, “I had nine years of experience and bags of ambition – but my bosses effectively demoted me for being part-time.”
The art of war
The Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries at the London Imperial war museum has been described as confirming art as “war’s most truthful witness” in a summary of reviews collated by The Week last week. The new space contains all manner of materials, including wartime masterpieces by Eric Ravilious and Paul Nash and art created in response to recent conflicts in the Middle East. According to Stuart Jeffries in The Guardian, the new space feels “not just topical, but essential” in the context of today’s geopolitics. This may not feel festive but do consider a visit, supporting the arts in time of unrest is “essential”.
It’s best of season
It’s the time of year where colours, words and Spotify lists are published. The word of the year has been unveiled by Oxford University Press: “Rizz” (yes, me neither), the 2024 Pantone colour of the year is a wonderful 70s apricot red and my 2023 Spotify list is topped by Drake, for which I blame my teenage son.
A movie recommendation
If you want to see culture in action, watch Ted Lasso. In this pure happiness on screen TV series, an American football coach is hired to manage an English football team and undeterred by seemingly anything brings a group of utterly talented yet totally dysfunctional people together. He teaches us that whatever we lack in knowledge, we can make up for it in sheer bloody mindedness and optimism. A must-watch for any leader bringing a team together.
