9 strategies employers use to keep people from drinking too much at the holiday party
Dec 17, 2015, 02:00 IST
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And this is a real concern for employers.
Of the almost 400 human resources professionals who plan to sponsor an end-of-year or holiday party surveyed by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) this November, 41% said they don't plan on serving alcohol at all. This is up from 39% in 2012.Of those who do plan on offering libations, almost half (47%) said they would regulate alcohol consumption at the party in some way."Holiday or end-of-year parties are great opportunities for employers to team build, acknowledge individual and company achievements, and boost employee morale," Sherry Dixon, senior vice president with Adecco Staffing USA, tells Business Insider. "While it's important to give employees the opportunity to let loose a little, it's also critical to keep things professional."Keeping things professional is a major concern for employers because of liability issues, says Roy Cohen, a career coach and author of "The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide.""When problems occur at holiday parties, there is real potential for the company and corporate brand to be tarnished," he tells Business Insider. "That opportunity cost is significant. Many more companies are aware of the impact on reputation and the power of the internet to broadcast bad behavior immediately and for eternity." While employers obviously have no way to control what goes on at the holiday after-party, here are nine ways they can keep people from drinking too much on the company's watch: