Company bosses have been urged to limit access to alcoholic beverages at work events to prevent employees from behaving inappropriately.
The Chartered Management Institute said companies have a responsibility to protect their employees after a survey of managers found one in three had witnessed harassment or inappropriate behavior at parties.
Social networking with colleagues is a “great team-building opportunity” that many people enjoy, Anne Frank, the institute’s chief executive, said. But, she added, companies must take steps to control unacceptable behaviour.
“This could mean adding extra activities besides alcohol, limiting the amount of drink available per person, or ensuring that people who drink a lot are prevented from behaving inappropriately towards others,” Frank told the BBC.
Last month, the Institute, a professional body focused on leadership, surveyed more than 1,000 managers. Female managers are more likely than men to notice problems at work parties. More than two in five managers said work events should be organized around activities that do not involve alcohol, a view more common among younger managers.
The survey comes after a number of companies withdrew from the Confederation of British Industry or were suspended from membership following allegations of rape at a summer party in 2019, as well as further allegations of sexual misconduct in the lobby group. A second allegation of rape later emerged and the police are investigating both.
Many companies already see alcohol-fueled work events as a major risk. Last year, a survey of companies found that more than a third of them are giving up work or cutting back on Christmas parties. The same survey suggested that most employees wouldn’t mind an end to the festive tradition—provided employers spent the party budget on employee bonuses instead.
Alison Loveday, employment solicitor and business consultant, said: “Heavy work parties are the exception rather than the rule today. They’ve gone down a lot because there’s a realization that alcohol and a lot of people don’t necessarily go together well.”
However, many workers still seem to enjoy a rowdy get-together, and those who threw Christmas parties last year dumped more alcohol than ever before, according to retailer Majestic Wine. In December, it reported that sales of wine and champagne were up 140 and 28 percent, respectively. The demand rebound partly reflects the lack of events in previous years due to epidemiological restrictions.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, a professional body for the HR industry, believes the death of business meetings has been greatly exaggerated. In fact, she predicts that social events for employees may become more important than ever because of the advent of hybrid work — though she notes that events don’t need to involve alcohol. He warned that managers “must not neglect their legal and ethical responsibilities to keep employees safe”.