Is your company having a holiday party? Are you going to serve alcohol? If the answer is yes to either or both questions, here are a few tips that might help reduce liability:
- Limit the number of drinks available to each guest (provide drink tickets or punch cards)
- Do not let guests help themselves to alcohol (hire a bartender if you are using a venue that does not provide a bartender)
- Keep an eye on underage guests and access to alcohol
- Provide food and make it accessible (have multiple food stations)
- Provide non-alcoholic drinks and encourage guests to drink them (have water stations or servers circulate with glasses of water and/or sparkling water)
- Stop serving alcohol an hour before the party ends
- Invite spouses/partners/significant others (employees seem to behave better under the “supervision” of their better-half)
- Provide free transportation. Notify all guests in advance and at the party that the company will pay for transportation (put a sign by the coat check, a stack of cards from a taxi company or ride sharing service)
- Offer to provide lodging for employees who have to travel more than a certain distance to attend the party
- Designate management employees who will stay sober (so someone can intervene if an employee who appears intoxicated tries to drive home or is otherwise behaving inappropriately)
- Update your harassment policy and make sure it addresses conduct at off-site events
- Do not make attendance mandatory
- NO MISTLETOE – SHOTS – LIMBO – DANCE CONTESTS
