Cancelling the end-of-year party is not the answer

Amid a changing legal landscape, HR’s role is not to remove joy from celebration – it’s about clarity, writes Prabha Nandagopal.

It’s that time of the year when HR teams are grappling with end-of-year events. People want to celebrate the year with colleagues, yet they are acutely aware of the pitfalls when work and social settings blur. I tell my clients that the question is not whether to hold events. It is how to hold them well. Social connection matters. Celebrations help people feel recognised. They strengthen trust and belonging. The issue is not the event itself. It is how well the organisation sets expectations, implements controls, supports early intervention, and ensures people know they will be backed if something does not feel right.

Over recent years, the context around end-of-year celebrations has shifted. Many teams know each other less in person. Some colleagues have met only online. Norms about tone, humour and boundaries are less shared than they once were. At the same time, the Respect at Work reforms now require employers to take active steps to prevent sexual harassment, rather than respond after harm has already occurred.

This means work social events are not just celebrations. They are a live test of workplace culture. One moment at a party can undo trust, prompt a complaint, or create reputational risk. HR teams are often left managing the consequences long after the music stops.

Hybrid work plays a role here. Online interactions tend to be more controlled. People present a managed version of themselves. At in-person events, those filters drop. Alcohol increases confidence. Proximity increases intimacy. People make quicker judgements about how to speak, how close to stand, and what jokes to share. If there is no shared understanding of boundaries, those judgements can be wrong.

The legal context has also changed. Under the positive duty, organisations must take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent sexual harassment and sex discrimination. This is not about proving what happened after the fact. The focus is on what the organisation did before the event to set expectations, reduce risk, and ensure people could speak up early. If a foreseeable risk was left unaddressed, that can form the basis of regulatory action, even if no formal complaint is made.

This is not about removing joy from celebration. It is about clarity. Here are some quick tips to get you underway.

1. Make sure the respect-at-work policy is current and known

• Have a clear policy on respectful behaviour at work events.
• Do not just link it. Remind people what it means in practice, and importantly, how to report inappropriate behaviour.

2. Set the tone before the event

• Send a short message in the days before.
• State that this is a work function.
• Name the expectation of respectful behaviour.
• Say who people can speak to if something feels off.

3. Choose the venue intentionally

• Select a space where people can move, sit, and take breaks.
• Balance food and alcohol.
• Make non-alcoholic options visible and normal, not secondary.

4. Have leaders present and attentive

• Nominate a few leaders who will stay engaged throughout.
• They stay visible, check in, and intervene early if needed.

5. Create easy and safe exit options

• Allow people to leave without pressure.
• Arrange transport or send clear guidance on getting home safely.

6. Follow through the next day

• Most issues surface quietly.
• A simple message the next morning helps:
• “If something does not feel right, you can raise it. You will be supported.”

7. Treat the event as part of your positive duty

• Prevention happens before harm, not after.
• Planning, tone, and early intervention are part of compliance.

HR is often seen as the function that responds. The current landscape requires HR to be the function that prepares. Work events are part of the workplace. The standards do not pause when the lights are dimmed or the venue changes. Safety, inclusion, and respect must carry through every environment where colleagues gather.

End-of-year functions can be joyful, connective, and meaningful. They can also be where culture is most accurately revealed. Planning, tone setting and early intervention are what protect the people in the room. Celebration is important. Safety, respect, and inclusion are what make celebration possible for all.

Prabha Nandagopal is the founder of Elevate Consulting Partners and SafeSpace@elevate.