Holding a safe & responsible Christmas event

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Nov. 25, 2015 - PRLog -- As Christmas and New Years quickly approaches, many corporations are opting out of hosting parties. This is in part due to the increased liabilities they present to the organization. The cost factor of parties is a small influencing factor of hosting events to show appreciation for the employees.

The following are some tips to reduce liability should you be getting ready to plan your party. This is equally applicable to private events as it is for corporate events. The goal of a Christmas or New Years event is not only about showing appreciation to your employees but also about bringing your employees together in a casual atmosphere to mingle and build a stronger team mentality.

Employees that feel a sense of appreciation from their employer have a higher level of commitment and production. Unfortunately, due to liabilities surrounding those who make poor decisions at events and consuming alcohol can cause companies to shy away from such events. Below are some ideas to assist in reducing the likelihood of problems associate with such.

Host an alcohol free event. This could be a family dinner and dance with prizes, gifts. Bringing the entire family to a corporate function lessens the likelihood of employees over-consuming as they are either with their own family or just having a good time around co-workers and families.

Hold a holiday lunch party with no alcohol so employees will understand that they are expected to return to work after a fun lunch party. The productivity after the party may be reduced significantly but the problem of overconsumption and poor judgement is removed from the equation. You can still bring in a DJ or other entertainment for the event. Instead of providing alcohol, use those funds to purchase gifts, gift cards or other tokens of appreciation for your team members.

Have a team building party at a local attraction. This could be go-carting, paintball, lunch at the Aquarium or other local venue. This places the emphasis on fun and team building and reduces the liability of drinking and driving after the function. Agaim, you can make this a family friendly event.

Hold a traditional party and have all employees sign an agreement of responsibility. This would include a clear understanding that overindulgence of alcohol is a risk to the enjoyment and safety of all people attending. Make it clear that you value each and every member of the team and that the company cares about their health and safety. Have taxi vouchers available to all employees for a safe ride home.

Do not host an "open bar". This is costly and a recipe for people to over consume and act in poor judgement. Instead have a cash bar. If you wish to provide a few free drink tickets to the employees, they are responsible to purchase any beverages over the two provided. People are much less likely to drink as heavily if the drinks are being purchased out their own wallets. Provide fun alcohol free alternatives.

Many cities have designated driver programs. More of these are available during the holiday season such as Operation Red Nose in British Columbia and other communities. Business owners and managers can make arrangements ahead of time with the DD program and have drivers available during the function. This not only gets the employees home safely but also their vehicles. The company can make a donation to the program ahead of the event. Employees are welcomed to tip the drivers (who, in many cases are volunteers helping people get home safely) or make a further donation to the program if they wish.

Other ideas for a safe and successful holiday event can be found all over the internet and by talking with your team to include them in the planning process. Holiday parties do not have to be extravagant. Again, they are about showing appreciation and building your team spirit amongst employees.

If you are looking to plan an event in Metro Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley this Christmas season, SoundMax Mobile DJ Services is available for booking and for a free initial consultation to assist you in developing a safety plan prior to your event. The DJ is also OFA certified by Worksafe BC, Serving it Right Certified to assist in helping you to monitor your guests should there be any concerns during the event. They can be found at www.soundmaxdjservices.com

May you all have a very Merry and Safe Christmas Season.