Your Resources
8 office party tips for employers
- Employers are responsible for staff behaviour during work functions so it is vital that you take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of staff, visitors and the public.
- Ensure that you have a Safety Action Plan in place for the function.
- Your Safety Officer must identify hazards, and then eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazards.
- Ensure that attendees do not become adversely affected by alcohol.
- Ensure that attendees do not endanger the safety of themselves or others – be polite but firm in stopping dangerous hi-jinks.
- Ensure your function does not bring your workplace into disrepute. You do not want your carefully developed brand image to be ruined by senseless misbehaviour.
- Employers are liable if they do not take precautions to prevent sexual or other harassment. Make sure staff understand that a few drinks are not an excuse for harassment. If a complaint is made you must take it seriously and investigate it properly. A failure to do so can result in an expensive payout to the victim and cause great disruption to your workplace.
- Make sure that staff can get home safely after the event. An employer was held liable when a drunk employee drove home after a function. You may also lose your insurance for office vehicles.
A free Safety Action Plan and guide to handling disciplinary investigations are available in our Downloads section.
* This is an extended version of an article which appeared in the Dominion Post.