The holiday season: a headache for employers?
In light of the holidays, the New York Times recently ran an article about the hazards of workplace holiday celebrations. The holiday season clearly signifies celebration and merriment, but for many employers it can be a challenging time when planning holiday festivities for a diverse workforce. Questions arise such as how can employers best accommodate diverse social styles, religions, personal schedules and preferences, notions of what is appropriate versus inappropriate? Not to mention how to mitigate the possibility of sexual harassment complaints, liability problems, or other controversies resulting from an overly festive office party. “Easier said than done” and “better safe than sorry” come to mind. In a nutshell, “the best way for managers to navigate this season is to establish a year-round culture of respect for everyone, and to plan holiday celebrations that reflect the makeup of the workplace.”
A noteworthy conclusion indeed, and a message that is conveyed in Giving Notice. When planning holiday festivities, employers should be as inclusive as possible and take into account the many reasons cited as to why employees leave the workplace: being subject to inappropriate conduct, offensive jokes and material, unwanted sexual or other attention, exclusion, public humiliation, etc. After all, an office holiday party should be a pleasant experience for all employees, not the “last straw” or a breeding ground for corporate leavers…
