Having one too many can cause an HR headache
As December unfolded, employers and HR professionals found themselves grappling with an influx of absences and illnesses, creating staffing challenges — a situation exacerbated by the aftermath of Christmas parties.
Christmas parties have become a weekly affair as the holiday season approached, with Fridays emerging as the favored night for celebrations. However, new data from BrightHR has found that a considerable number of employees chose to extend their weekends by taking the Monday off following a Friday Christmas party.
While the exact reasons for this rise in post-party absenteeism are speculative, BrightHR CEO Alan Price sheds light on potential explanations.
“The surge in absences is likely to have something to do with a combination of festive spirits (of the alcoholic variety), a touch too much merriment, and a dash of late-night revelry…Ensue the three-day hangover and the dreaded ‘hang-xiety’,” says Price.
Last year's data from Friday, December 9, a popular Christmas party day, found a 61 percent spike in sickness rates on the following Monday compared to an average Monday in 2022. Similarly, the festivities on Friday, December 16, saw a 55 percent increase in individuals taking a vacation day on the subsequent Monday, suggesting a trend of pre-planned days off for recovery.
While acknowledging the inevitability of absences during the season of winter flus and “sniffles”, Price advises employers to remain vigilant. “If you identify a pattern of absence, for example, an employee who calls in sick every time after an event, then you may want to investigate further,” Price adds.
“Employers need to allow some amount of flexibility especially as absences are rife at this time of year with winter flus and seasonal sniffles making the rounds — the term Christmas party fever could be literal. But, if it is determined that an absence is not genuine, then having robust systems to track absence rates and policies in place will discourage employees from taking advantage,” he says.
To mitigate the HR hangover, Price recommends reminding staff that Christmas parties are an extension of the workplace, with standard rules still in effect.
“Celebrating with a few drinks at a work's do is fine in most cases but having one too many can cause headaches – both the HR variety and otherwise – as any inappropriate behavior can result in disciplinary action. And partaking in anything illegal is a one-way ticket to dismissal,” says Price.
