HR Issues During the Festive Period

The end of year is always an opportunity for everyone to take some time away from the workplace and unwind with loved ones however, there are HR issues during the festive period and it’s important that employers avoid any unnecessary concerns with their employees prior to, or after, the holidays. From Christmas parties to time off, there are many HR problems which could potentially occur and employers will need to address any concerns before the business world shuts the door on 2024.

In the United Kingdom, it is commonplace for employers to organise a work Christmas party in December in order to recognise the hard work of their employees throughout the calendar year. While these gatherings are usually joyous celebrations, certain precautions must be taken to ensure no HR-related issues arise.

Christmas Parties in 2024

Since the Worker’s Protection Act 2023 was introduced in October 2024, employers now have a direct duty of care to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This duty extends to out-of-hours events such as festive parties and includes harassment by anyone at the event, not just employees. Therefore employers should take care when inviting outside guests to any event and should select a venue which will suitably ensure the safety of all individuals present.

Alcohol at Work Christmas Parties

While all guests will make an individual judgement as to whether they decide to consume any alcoholic drinks or not, it’s important that an employer is aware of those employees that choose the drink.

Before any event begins, employers should remind all guests that the party is an extension of their workplace and therefore they should not behave in an unprofessional manner. This includes reminding guests of the workplace’s harassment policy and explaining any disciplinary action which may come as a result of an employee’s behaviour while they are inebriated.

Employers should request employees to look out for each other and may ask certain individuals to monitor the event and address any concerns. This is all part of emphasising a swift and proactive approach to addressing issues.

In the UK there are three bank holidays through out the festive period (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day and employers must ensure they have specific policies surrounding any other time off.

Forced Shutdown Over the Festive Period

If you plan on closing your business outside of these bank holidays over Christmas, it must be clearly discussed with all employees earlier in the year. This is because employees need to know exactly how many days holiday will be required in order to cover the shutdown. If an employee has no annual leave remaining, they cannot be made to take unpaid leave.

Employers may wish to review the annual leave of all employees over this period and encourage them to use any remaining days over the festive period.

Part Time Staff

Employers must ensure that part time workers are fairly compensated for any bank holiday entitlement over the festive period. If your business does not close over the festive period, specifically retail and hospitality venues, you should ensure all employees are adequately compensated for working bank holidays and that staff rotas are organised in advance in order to ensure staff members have time off over this busy period.

Returning to Work After Christmas

Returning to work after the festive period can be difficult for many as the whole workforce adjusts to being back in the office. This is why it is important to allow employees to ease themselves back into their roles over the first couple of days. Employers should also routinely check on individuals over this period to ensure that there will not be any further performance related issues as a result of their time away.

The aforementioned shutdown of many businesses and agencies over until the New Year means that it can sometimes be difficult to address any issues promptly. Therefore it is vital that all incidents are documented effectively in order to be handled upon the return of employees. Issues and concerns can often stack up while a business is shut and create a large workload for management and HR upon their return.

If you have any concerns or queries regarding HR support over Christmas, or any other questions, get in touch with Willerby Hill HR.