“At the corporate Christmas party, mistletoe could be an HR violation waiting to happen or it could be a triumphant bonding event that people talk about for years,” said Linda Trim, Director at Giant Leap, one of SA’s largest workplace design consultancies.
Let's delve into this festive, potential debacle, shall we?
Pros of the Christmas Party:
1. Team Spirit: There’s nothing like watching your usually buttoned-up CEO doing the Macarena to really bond the team. “It’s like a group therapy session, but with more drinks,“ said Trim.
2. Gift Exchange: The perfect opportunity to offload that novelty tie or the singing fish plaque you got last year. Who needs Secret Santa when you can have Secret Regret?
3. Networking: It's the one time when saying "You're not on my org chart, but we should do lunch sometime" doesn't sound like a veiled threat.
4. Free Food:” Let's be honest, for some, this is the main event. Christmas parties are to office workers what bread was to the French Revolution: a staple of survival.” Trim noted.
Cons of the Christmas Party:
1. Awkward Moments: There’s always that one person who thinks the karaoke machine is their personal confessional, sharing way too much about their holiday plans or their opinion on the office coffee machine.
2. The Aftermath: Remember, every party has its hangover. You might spend the next day regretting your decision to challenge the intern to a limbo contest under the mistletoe.
3. Budget Blowouts: Someone always suggests renting out a champagne bar, only to realise the budget was more suited for a quiet dinner at the local well priced pizza restaurant.
4. Political Correctness Minefield: “Navigating the party's theme can be like walking through a minefield wearing clown shoes. Is ‘Year End Celebration’ too cold, or does ‘Festive Gathering’ imply mandatory cheer?” Trim said.
So, should a company host a Christmas party?
On one hand, it's a chance to let loose, where even the most stoic of employees might give you a glimpse of their inner elf.
On the other, it's a potential disaster wrapped in tinsel, where the office gossip mill turns into the office gossip factory, running at full capacity.
And did someone really use the photocopier in that way?
In the end, the decision to host a Christmas party is much like deciding whether to wear that ugly sweater to the event: it could either be the highlight of the evening, or the reason you're remembered for all the wrong reasons.
“But remember, don't Panic. Because if there's one thing humans are good at, it's turning even the most disastrous of events into tales of legendary hilarity... or at least, into stories you tell at the next year's party.” Trim concluded.
