Two thoughts on Holiday Parties:
One from the lawyers and one from HR.
I hate work holiday parties. Unless they are during lunch and involve good food. (Good food can be pizza, as long as it's not ordered from the company cafeteria.)
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One plant I worked at once had a huge Christmas part- the workers loved it and looked forward to it every year. I think it was kind of like going to a free wedding reception for them. But I have to think there are better ways for boosting morale than having everyone get drunk and forget how miserable their jobs are.
I have to think that this advice really applies better to large companies. In a startup, you are working so closely with everyone, at all levels, that they've already seen your good, your bad, and your ugly. Part of the reason people seek out small companies is because they have more of a close-knit sense of family or camaraderie, and what would friends be if you couldn't get drunk with them and laugh it off once a year? But Holmes has a good point - you'll have happier employees long term if the culture is strong year round.
I don't even celebrate Christmas but I like the the company Christmas parties. Gives me a chance to get to know some of the other employees when I'm not talking about new I-9 changes or what life activities means to the ADA! A welcome break!
I went to one Christmas party and that was enough for me. Everyone was afraid to loosen up and have fun because of what would be said about them later at work (including me). Boring! I decided early on not to socialize with co-workers outside of work anyway. Business is business.
Our company decided (for the 2nd year in a row) to survey the employees regarding whether they would rather have a Christmas/Holiday party or donate the thousands of dollars normally spent on a party to a deserving charity.
Since we work in northern New England and the last thing anyone wants to do is give up free time to drive at night in the snow in the middle of winter this was a great way to get out of the obligation and look philanthropic while doing so.
I enjoy my work and the people I work with, but if I choose to socialize with any of them outside of work hours then I want to do it on my terms. I'm really happy that the party money went to a good cause though.
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