The break from big office Christmas parties imposed by the pandemic has not dampened the enthusiasm of Quebec workers. A majority of them find it an important tradition, but above all, believe that they should be paid by the boss.
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Two in three workers see office Christmas parties as an important tradition and three in four want the costs to be covered by the employer, reveals a new survey commissioned by The newspaper.
With the City of Montreal recently canceling Christmas parties for employees for budgetary reasons and the cost of living exploding, do Quebecers still have the heart to party at the office?
“It’s not out of fashion, especially among young workers,” says Christian Bourque, executive vice-president of the Léger firm, which conducted the survey.
To strengthen the ties
Respondents aged 18 to 54 are strongly in favor of these gatherings between colleagues. They cite in particular their importance in strengthening ties within work teams and getting to know each other, as the main reasons.
If the pandemic has left teleworking as a popular legacy, the general director of the Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors (CRHA), Manon Poirier, is not surprised to see the desire to celebrate in groups remain dear to people. workers.
“It is an important ritual for people […] Christmas parties on Zoom were a great intention, but people want to see each other again in this context of a special evening,” she notes.
Only respondents aged 55 and over, i.e. at the end of their career and retired, were numerous who wanted to cut these expenses, probably no longer having the heart to toast with colleagues.
For many, the Christmas party remains an important form of recognition. Moreover, almost half of the respondents believe that if the Christmas party had to be replaced, they would then choose to obtain a gift from the employer.
Shoot yourself in the foot
For the president and CEO of Leaders de Valeur consulting group, Céline Morellon, employers cannot do without a holiday party.
“They don’t do anything bigger in internal advertising than the way they bring employees together to say thank you […] They’re shooting themselves in the foot if they cancel it,” she says.
However, nothing stops them from reinventing the way they highlight employees’ work, she says. With prices soaring due to inflation, businesses could opt for dinners or daytime activities, for example.
A little more than 1,000 Quebecers aged 18 and over responded to the online survey from November 17 to 20. The maximum margin of error for such a sample is around 3%, 19 times out of 20.
Beware of excess
During Christmas parties, it is better to avoid excesses, warns Manon Poirier of the Order of CRHA. “Both in spending and in behavior,” she specifies for employers and employees.
For example, the employer must ensure that no one leaves the premises while driving while impaired.
For partygoers, the rules of decency remain and all inappropriate behavior is to be prohibited. “Yes, we can have fun, but we must remember that these are working relationships that we must continue afterwards,” says Mme Poirier.
Maybe expensive, but profitable
The Christmas party is a “small investment that pays off a lot,” argues the vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) in Quebec, François Vincent.
Even if entrepreneurs are hit hard by inflation, with little room for maneuver, he has not heard that parties will suffer.
On the contrary, he believes that completely slashing these festivities would only result in “saving pennies which will demobilize the troops”.
Public vs private
While more and more Quebecers are tightening their belts, spending with taxpayers’ money is being scrutinized.
“The use of public funds should always be a concern,” says Mme Poirier. However, she believes that not recognizing the work and successes of employees can be a double-edged sword.
“The public may wonder if they would like to work for an organization whose first thing they have cut off is recognition,” she explains.
“It can be justified, when it is coherent and authentic, people accept it,” believes Céline Morellon.