In Australia, everyone expects their employer to host some sort of Christmas celebration. However you may not be aware of the significant responsibilities employers have when it comes to protecting workers.
There have been numerous court cases that determined employers are responsible for the safety and protection of their staff at work-related parties – even when those team members are drunk!
There are 2 key components to consider when planning a work Christmas party:
- Assessing the risks associated with the function
- How you will manage and prevent inappropriate behaviour
1. Assessing the potential risks of your work Christmas party
Under the legislation, a workplace is defined as “… any place a worker is located while performing work-related activities including the location of a work-related function.”
For some people, even low levels of alcohol consumption can significantly reduce inhibitions resulting in behavioural problems. Therefore, you must undertake an assessment of the likely risks to your staff during the planning stage of the party – especially if you are planning to allow alcohol to be served.
Examples of low, medium & high risk work functions
|
Risk factors |
Low risk |
Medium risk |
High risk |
|
Venue |
Work premises |
External licensed premises e.g. a restaurant or function centre |
Other venues |
|
Alcohol |
Non-alcoholic |
Equal service of non-alcoholic beverages, beer & wine |
Beer, wine & spirits |
|
Food |
Meal served |
Finger food |
No food |
|
Duration |
Less than 2 hours |
2 – 4 hours |
Over 4 hours |
|
Bar staff |
Trained staff |
A mix of trained & |
Untrained staff |
|
Type of activity |
Low-key, e.g. work |
Special occasion, |
Special event, |
|
Attendee numbers |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
When assessing the risks of your Christmas party, not only do you need to consider the service of food and alcohol. You also need to consider things like staircases and/or balconies that could cause potential trips and falls.
You don’t have to be a Wowser to keep your workers safe!
Assessing the potential risks of your Christmas work function doesn’t mean you have to become a killjoy or wowser. As the table above demonstrates, risk factors can be controlled by:
- Limiting the length of the function
- Hiring trained bar staff with valid Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificates
- Balancing the availability of food and alcohol
- Providing staff with cab vouchers or other transportation to help them get home safely
- Making sure senior management are present at the function and prepared to intervene if anything gets out-of-hand
2. Preventing inappropriate behaviour at your Christmas party
Inappropriate behaviour includes:
- Sexual harassment (including telling lude jokes)
- Bullying
- Discrimination
- Violence
- Using illegal substances
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Communicate expectations
The best way to prevent inappropriate behaviour at a work Christmas party is to explain to your staff (before the event) that the same rules apply whether they are at work or at a work function.
Senior management should always be present at Christmas work functions to monitor the event. Importantly, never provide funding or encourage celebrations to extend beyond the specified function time.
If you are planning to serve alcohol at your Christmas work function, follow the link to use the checklist attached to help you identify and minimise the risks.
Think ahead
Ensuring your workers have an enjoyable and safe Christmas party begins with planning ahead.
Click here to view our essential checklist. That means you should be assessing potential risk factors while you are organising the function.
If you are planning a staff Christmas party or other event, call the End2End team on 02 8977 4002 for advice on how to keep everyone safe while having fun.