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Office Christmas parties 'still needed'
The majority of employers will still provide corporate Christmas parties for their workers, according to research.
Figures from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CiPD) show 60 per cent will still host a Christmas party for staff despite the credit crunch and recession looming.
The CiPD's management survey showed the importance of rewarding employees in difficult times.
Private sector companies were found to be the most keen to hold Christmas events, with 77 per cent of them likely to do so.
However, this was down from 84 per cent in 2007 and shows that some are reconsidering the costs.
Just 24 per cent of public sector organisations hold Christmas parties or lunches for their employees.
Commenting on the study Charles Cotton, a reward adviser for CiPD, said: "As ever, employers need to think about why they are providing a Christmas party in the first place.
"If it is to recognise the collective contribution of their employees, then what are the alternatives and are they more effective? If holding a Christmas party is the most effective way of achieving this, then employers should be wary about scrapping them in response to the economic downturn because the long term impact could be damaging on employee engagement and organisational performance. As reward becomes ever more individual, the Christmas party is one way of reminding staff that they are part of a common endeavour. "
