Sleighing Safe: Should Employers Risk Assess Their Christmas Party?
The Christmas season is in full swing and whilst your Christmas parties are a time for fun and socialising for your employees, it remains crucial to consider the usual health and safety concerns, the potential for alcohol-induced inappropriate behaviour, and the need for a sexual harassment risk assessment.
As you may have seen from another one of our blogs, the new statutory duty imposed on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace is now in effect.
This duty extends to all types of sexual harassment risks in the workplace, including those at work-related social events such as office parties.
Following the guidance of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (“EHRC”), you are unlikely evidence your compliance with this new duty unless you undertake a risk assessment.
What should you assess?
When assessing the risks for your Christmas party, you can follow the same approach as you would for your workplace sexual harassment risk assessment. This includes:
- Identifying Risk Areas: Anticipate scenarios where staff might be subjected to sexual harassment.
Potential risk areas may include: the presence of alcohol, including a free bar, the presence of third parties (such as clients or bar staff), other office parties at the same venue or the venue being open to the public, overnight hotel stays, taxi-sharing home and any after-parties.
- Minimising Risks: Consider steps to reduce these risks.
For example, you could email staff in advance to set clear expectations about appropriate behaviour, restrict alcohol consumption if providing a free bar, ensure food is available, ensure staff have made appropriate arrangements to get home, with alternatives to taxi sharing and appoint (sober) managers to act as points of contact for any issues.
- Evaluating Reasonable Steps: Determine which steps are reasonable to implement.
- Implementing Steps: Put these reasonable steps into action.
By taking these steps, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable Christmas party for everyone.
For more help and guidance related to Employment Law please call our Employment Law Team on 01206 239 761.
