Many employees ‘dread’ work Christmas parties: Is alcohol to blame?

End-of-year celebrations are taking place over the coming weeks, and work Christmas parties make up much of these celebrations. While many are excited to be rid of work for the year and celebrate the effort they’ve put in, others aren’t so merry.

Research from Indeed revealed that a shocking 37 per cent of employees are “dreading the occasion”. Despite this, 84 per cent said they will be attending, and 64 per cent feel they’re obligated to do so.

There are a variety of factors fuelling these attitudes. The top of which were:

• Having to make small talk with colleagues (39 per cent).
• Too much emphasis on alcohol (33 per cent).
• Worried they might do something embarrassing (21 per cent).
• Bad experiences at past work Christmas parties (19 per cent).

This may come as a surprise to the more extroverted workers, but it’s important to remember that not everyone shares the same attitudes. This is noteworthy for employers, too, and Christmas party policy should reflect that.

Giving employees a choice in the matter is a good start, as 56 per cent said they’d rather have the day off than attend the Christmas party.

Approaching alcohol cautiously is another matter that must be attended to. While drinks should not be scrapped altogether, as that could anger those who wish to partake, providing an environment that doesn’t alienate those who don’t want to drink is crucial.

A variety of safety issues can arise through the overconsumption of alcohol, and correct measures should be put in place to keep up with compliance.

In fact, 61 per cent of respondents said drinking too much was their biggest “don’t” for this year’s end-of-year events. Another 40 per cent said they’ve fallen victim to overindulging in drinks at past events.

This could be fuelling attitudes for this year, as 34 per cent of employees said they won’t be drinking at their Christmas party. Women are more likely to do this, with 39 per cent staying sober, compared to 28 per cent of men.

Younger workers were also more likely than their older counterparts, with 42 per cent of Gen Z staying off the drinks, compared to 38 per cent of Gen X and 29 per cent of Millennials.

“Workplace Christmas parties are a great opportunity to get together with colleagues to celebrate the end of the work year, but our research suggests many Aussies feel a bit ‘bah-humbug’ about the more traditional boozy Christmas celebration format,” said Indeed’s workplace expert, Lauren Anderson.

“Factors like location, food and drink options, and social dynamics have the potential to negatively influence Australians’ experience of the office Christmas party – which in turn can negatively impact employee engagement, team building, and overall company culture.”

She concluded: “Workers have told us they want to be consulted in the plans for their company’s end-of-year celebration; therefore, employers who make the effort to include them are going to benefit from greater attendance, engagement, and happier staff.”

This proves just how important it is to cater to those who aren’t drinking. Christmas parties should reflect the attitudes of all employees and provide a release for the hard work accomplished over the year. Employers can put their best foot forward by providing choice and doing their best not to alienate anyone.