Close Menu
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing & Mental Health
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Trending
  • 5 ways employers can supercharge their workforce with apprenticeships
  • Take Control of Your Business Finances: “Know Your Numbers” Workshop
  • Planned or reactive maintenance: Which is best for your business?
  • Putting information security first is your first step to building digital trust.
  • Why the crackdown on late payments could be a turning point for SMEs
  • MPs bring Google training to regions outside London
  • Nearly Half of London Start-Ups Unfamiliar with Tax Obligations, New Analysis Reveals
  • AI isn’t just for the big players: How SMEs can effectively leverage AI
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
You are at:Home»News»Employees ditching the office Christmas party to avoid colleagues and boozy behaviour
Employees ditching the office Christmas party to avoid colleagues and boozy behaviour

Employees ditching the office Christmas party to avoid colleagues and boozy behaviour

0
Posted By Greg Robinson on November 28, 2024 News

Ducking out of your work Christmas party this year? You’re not alone, as new research reveals that almost a quarter (23%) of UK office workers are planning on doing the same.

The research suggests that workplace relationships in 2024 leave much to be desired, with top reasons for non-attendance at office Christmas parties including not enjoying them (31%), not wanting to spend any more time with colleagues (24%), and avoiding drunk colleagues (19%).

The survey of over 1,000 UK office workers commissioned by team building and corporate events company, Team Tactics, also identified divided camps on the issue of alcohol at work Christmas parties.

While 43% of respondents said that drinking alcohol at work Christmas parties helps them to relax and enjoy themselves and 1 in 5 admit to drinking ‘a lot’ at these events, the boozy party culture is off-putting to others.

A quarter of office workers said they feel under pressure to drink alcohol at Christmas parties and 45% said they find drunk colleagues annoying – a sentiment more commonly felt by Gen X workers (49%) and Baby Boomers (53%).

Almost half (48%) of office workers said the focus on alcohol and getting drunk doesn’t appeal to them, while 42% are in agreement that Christmas parties are too reliant on alcohol and getting drunk.

Problematic behaviours also appear to stem from booze-fuelled events, with 47% saying that they find drunk colleagues can be inappropriate, and 41% admitting to feeling uncomfortable around drunk colleagues.

Meanwhile, Gen Z workers appear to be divided on attitudes towards booze. While almost a quarter (24%) admit to drinking a lot at Christmas parties and 35% say alcohol helps them to relax and enjoy themselves, there’s a steadfast sober cohort. Over 1 in 5 (22%) of Gen Z office workers say they don’t drink alcohol – the highest proportion of any age group surveyed.

The research also suggested that it might be time for organisations to consider an alternative to the boozy Christmas do. 40% of respondents said they’d rather do an activity or something different with their colleagues. This was felt more widely among millennial workers, with almost half (48%) saying they’d prefer an alternative.

Commenting on the research, Tina Benson, founder and managing director of Team Tactics, said: “Among the different attitudes and preferences towards work Christmas parties, it’s sad to learn that so many employees feel negatively towards spending time with coworkers outside of office hours, and that some are made to feel excluded, pressured or uncomfortable as a result of alcohol-fuelled behaviour from colleagues. For those that want to celebrate it, Christmas should be about coming together, building on relationships, and having fun.

“While many employees may still enjoy and look forward to a Christmas party, it might be time for organisations to rethink their typical festive ‘knees-up’ or consider organising an alternative activity that’s more inclusive and appealing to all members of the team. Uniting colleagues behind an important cause or charity mission can be incredibly powerful, simultaneously driving positive change for team dynamics and communities in need.”

For more information about the research, visit https://www.teamtactics.co.uk/blog/rethinking-the-christmas-party/

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

MPs bring Google training to regions outside London

UK Businesses Are Suffering From The Tariff Turmoil

Dementia Advocate Shares Tips For Supporting People With Dementia When Flying

Comments are closed.

Follow SME Today on Linkedin and share all the topics you find interesting
ISO/IEC 27001 roadmap: A practical guide for UK SMEs
ISO/IEC 27001 roadmap: A practical guide for UK SMEs
Are you a Company Director?
Are you a Company Director - Verify your identity
Personal Pension offer
Events Calendar
    • Marketing
    September 9, 2025

    SEO 101 for SMBs: Reaching Customers with the Right Visuals

    August 29, 2025

    OneMetric forms strategic partnership with RevOps expert to drive UK growth

    • Finance
    September 17, 2025

    Take Control of Your Business Finances: “Know Your Numbers” Workshop

    September 16, 2025

    Why the crackdown on late payments could be a turning point for SMEs

    • People
    September 11, 2025

    New Chief Revenue Officer joins CBS to drive strategic growth

    August 14, 2025

    A Life Worth Saving – A Tribute to Dame Stephanie Shirley CH, 1933–2025

    • Health & Safety
    September 2, 2025

    1 in 3 employees anxious about lack of first aiders at work

    July 1, 2025

    Temperatures Soaring: Is Your Workplace Becoming Unsafe?

    • Events
    September 9, 2025

    Nominations for the 2026 Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot open

    July 22, 2025

    South West Expo Delivers Outstanding Event at Swindon’s STEAM Museum

    • Community
    July 11, 2025

    Building community, one cause at a time

    June 23, 2025

    Celebrating One Year In Fairford Supporting The Community

    • Food & Drink
    August 22, 2025

    How to get stocked by major retailers as an SME

    July 18, 2025

    Warning to Small Businesses Over New Food Waste Regulations

    • Books
    September 3, 2025

    New book on conquering fear of public speaking

    August 7, 2025

    Learning to Leave a Legacy in Business

    The Newsletter

    Join our mailing list for the best SME stories, handpicked and delivered direct to your inbox every two weeks!

    Sign Up
    About

    SME Today is published by the same team who deliver The Great British Expos’. We have been organising various corporate events for the last 10 years, with a strong track record of producing well managed and attended business events across the UK.

    Join Our Mailing List

    Receive the latest news and updates from SMEToday.
    Read our Latest Newsletter:


    Sign Up
    X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    Categories
    • Books
    • Community & Charity
    • Education and Training
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Features
    • Finance
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Safety
    • HR & Recruitment
    • In Profile
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • News
    • People
    • Property & Development
    • Sponsored Content
    • Technology
    • Transport & Tourism
    • Wellbeing & Mental Health
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact
    Copyright © 2025 SME Today.
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.