Dear Denise – Your HR Agony Aunt | Edition 2: The Christmas Party Predicament 🎄

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At BeyondHR, we know that managing people isn’t always straightforward and at this time of year, it can feel even more challenging. Between Christmas parties, annual leave requests, and festive fatigue, December brings its own set of HR headaches for business owners and managers alike.

That’s why we’re delighted to bring you the second edition of Dear Denise, our HR Agony Aunt column created for the Chamber. Each month, our Senior HR Consultant Denise, who brings almost 20 years of hands-on HR experience, answers real-world questions from business leaders just like you. With honesty and practical advice, she’s here to help you tackle your toughest HR challenges with confidence.

Dear Denise,
We’ve just had our staff Christmas night out, and for the most part everyone had a great time. Unfortunately, a couple of employees got a wee bit too carried away. One made an inappropriate comment to a colleague, and another never showed up for work the next day, putting it down to “the flu.”

I don’t want to kill the mood, but I also know I can’t just let it slide. What’s the best way to deal with this without coming across like a total Scrooge?
Concerned Business Owner, Paisley

Dear Concerned Business Owner,
Ah, the office Christmas party, a chance for teams to unwind and celebrate a year of hard work… and for HR, often the season of “I can’t believe this happened” moments!

You’re absolutely right to want to address this. While these things are common, it’s important to strike a balance between festive goodwill and maintaining professional standards.

Here’s how to approach it:

Address incidents promptly and privately.
Have a quiet word with those involved as soon as possible. Keep it factual, explain what’s been reported or observed and give them a chance to respond. Remind them that even at social events, they’re still representing the company.
Reinforce your standards, don’t assume everyone knows them.
If you have a code of conduct or social media policy, now’s the perfect time to remind staff what’s expected at work-related events. You might even circulate a short “party etiquette” reminder next year before festivities begin.
Don’t brush off ‘the day after’ absences.
If someone has called in sick after the party, follow your normal sickness absence process, including a return-to-work meeting. Consistency is key, even during the holidays.
Keep it proportionate.
Not every misstep needs a disciplinary hearing. Sometimes, a candid chat and a gentle reminder about professional behaviour are enough. But if something more serious occurred, like harassment or offensive remarks. It’s essential to investigate formally.
Keep the spirit alive.
End-of-year celebrations are great for morale, so don’t let one or two incidents spoil things for everyone else. A positive tone paired with clear boundaries, goes a long way.

Hope this helps.

Warm regards,
Denise
Your HR Agony Aunt at BeyondHR

Have an HR dilemma you’d like Denise to answer?

We’d love to hear from you! Email your question to denise@wegobeyondhr.com and it could be featured in our next Dear Denise column on the BeyondHR blog. All questions remain completely anonymous.

Prefer a private chat about your HR challenge?
Call us today on 0800 111 4461, the BeyondHR team is here to help.