The holidays are a joyous time for all, and companies should celebrate in ways that set them up for success in the coming year and prevent employee claims. Here are 3 essential to-dos during the holidays to keep the proverbial grinch of a claim from stealing your Christmas spirit-

1- Show some love.

Many companies use the end of the year to take stock of their successes during the past year and conduct annual performance reviews. The Covid-19 pandemic coupled with stubbornly high inflation has led to a "great resignation" as employees seek a better work/ life balance or higher compensation. Now is the time to proactively show your employees how much you care about them- especially any key employees on your team that you do not want checking out the free agent job market. HR can guide your managers through the annual review cycle, evaluate your total compensation strategy to ensure it is competitive for your job industry, communicate annual performance bonuses in a timely manner, and survey your team for benefits that are important to them or that they would like to see your company offer.

2- Not just Christmas.

Remember that there are over 12 religions recognized in the U.S. with religious holidays and observations during the month of December. For some its Christmas, for others its Hanukkah, for others still its Kwanzaa. Employees may come to you or to one of your managers with requests for time off during one or more of these holidays. Almost all employers according to Florida law are required to provide religious accommodations in the workplace for these requests. Some small companies are exempt but may still have to comply due to Federal laws. The standard under the Florida Civil Rights Act is “15 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the preceding calendar year.” Your HR manager can ensure your company complies with any religious accommodations correctly.

3- Christmas party shenanigans.

Nothing wrong with hosting a great holiday celebration for your employees, your clients, your investors, or shareholders, etc., however, set some rules and guidelines around said festivities so that they don't ruin your fun. Obviously at a holiday party your guests are going to expect a drink, whether it is a glass of wine or eggnog. Limit your guests to one drink or consider working with your food vendor to only serve alcohol during dinner. Do not make your Christmas a free-for-all open bar affair, I promise you human nature is what it is and it will not end well. Communicate to your leadership team the expectation that they set the example for everyone else at the party. Your company’s founder, President, CEO or at least one of your senior executives should remain until the end of the party to make sure things end smoothly. If possible and whether you decide to serve alcohol at your party, consider taking steps to ensure your guests get back home safely. Think about allowing your employees to expense an Uber or Lyft rideshare back home so that they don't have to drive back after drinking at your holiday party. I've seen companies hire a shuttle service to take employees back home or to a designated office location.

How about a "formal attire" dress code for your holiday party? While it may sound silly, claims of sexual harassment during or after a company holiday party will dampen the mood back at the office. Even at your holiday party, one person’s actions can be misconstrued and/or taken negatively by another, it will fall on you to investigate it and you could potentially be liable for the outcome.

One last tip- consider very carefully the location of where you will host your holiday party. Are there bars and nightclubs where employees might congregate afterwards for an "after party"? The hours after your holiday party ends may still be considered a company-sanctioned event, meaning you could be held liable for anything that happens to one of your employees after the party ends.

Need some HR support to avoid your holiday party turning into a nightmare before Christmas? Let's talk. This is a wonderful time of the year and we can work with you to keep it as such.