BC Business
Why companies are reconsidering holiday celebrations and what they're doing instead
Christmas parties have become “holiday” parties to avoid discriminating against those who don’t celebrate Christmas. Companies have stopped serving alcohol at seasonal celebrations for fear of liability for their drunken staff members. “Merry Christmas” has been replaced with “Seasons Greetings” or “Best Wishes for the Holidays” in many company year-end cards to avoid causing offence.
In the age of political correctness and increased religious awareness and sensitivity, employers over the past decade have made changes to their holiday celebrations to promote inclusivity and diversity, to reduce potential liability and to avoid complaints.
These considerations, coupled with the added stress many people feel leading up to the holiday season, have many employers reconsidering their Christmas traditions. In the past several months, we have had numerous conversations with our clients about their desire to no longer host Christmas celebrations. The main reasons:
Are we nearing the end of the corporate Christmas party?
While company parties at Christmas time will likely continue for many employers, there is a growing reluctance to host holiday events. Increasingly popular alternatives include:
It is unlikely that all companies will stop hosting holiday events entirely. We are even seeing the term “Christmas” slowly creep back into regular use. That being said, non-holiday-specific gatherings and events are becoming more and more popular. The common refrain we hear from companies that have switched to having events outside of the winter holidays is that they are more fun and relaxing. If that’s what your company is hoping for, consider the alternatives.
Cissy Pau is the principal consultant at Clear HR Consulting Inc., a Vancouver-based firm that offers HR consulting and downloadable HR solutions for small businesses. For more information, please visit clearhrconsulting.com.