Pressure-proofing Your Organisation Train the Trainer Toolkit with Delegate Workbook and Powerpoint Slides
Click HERE
Crucial Dialogueat Critical Moments
A 90-minute powerful, interactive workshop on verbal interventions for HR staff in a crisis
Click HERE
Sign up for your 
Book Carole "Excellent workshop from Carole Spiers and vital for those who want their organisations to become less stressful and practice Healthy workplace culture".
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers
on official playtime policy
The summer staff-party!
To the employee, it's a long-awaited moment to let- off steam. To the boss, it's a minefield of conflicting responsibilities.
The whole point of the party is to provide a brief, refreshing contrast to daily work, to encourage informal contacts and team-bonding, see an interesting new side to familiar people, perhaps discover unexpected kinships. But there are potential risks that pose problems for the employer, and, in the UK at least, that includes the possibility of litigation if anything goes wrong.
The over-familiar joke-remark to the MD: accidental damage to person or property and, last but not least, the inappropriate fleeting liaison that damages a previously healthy working relationship. >p> There seems no escape from these liabilities, whether the party is held during working hours or afterwards, and whether it is held on the company’s premises or at an outside venue. The 'buck always stops' with the employer, who is obliged to treat off-duty employees as though they are still on duty.
Plan - as far as you can
You'll soon see that there is no total safeguard against these risks. The best the event-organiser can do is anticipate the most obvious hazards.
First, you need to ensure that the official behaviour codes are suitably displayed, and that executives with particular ethical roles have been reminded of these. For the benefit of guest-invitees, the signage around the building should be especially unambiguous, to avoid people getting lost in a strange office. Also for outdoor events, a wet-weather programme should already be in place.
You must also be prepared for the morning-after absentees (that’s why it's a good idea to settle for the last evening in the working week), and strictly speaking, you should allow for the company’s drivers to be off-duty for most of the next day.
Apart from that - have fun but not so as you will hate yourself, and others, in the morning!
Company rules - Summary
- Even though staff are off-duty, the on-duty rules apply.
- There’s no 100% insurance - just try to avoid obvious hazards
- There will possibly be morning-after regrets and absences
Another key insight from Carole Spiers, International Leading Authority on Corporate Stress,
Motivational Speaker and BBC Broadcaster.
