'Tis the season for twinkling lights, festive tunes, and the annual office holiday party. As companies gear up for the year-end celebrations, FinanceBuzz conducted a survey to uncover how employees truly feel about all this mandatory merriment.
The results? Let's just say, it's a mixed bag of jolly and not-so-jolly revelations.
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The pressure to be present
First things first, the pressure is on! A whopping 70% of employees admitted feeling obligated to attend the company's holiday bash. For many, it seems attending is not just a social affair but an unwritten requirement.
But attending isn't the only expectation; more than a third (36%) have found themselves raising a glass of holiday cheer (the alcoholic kind), not out of pure joy, but due to a sense of obligation.
Regrets, we've (almost) all had a few
Ah, the morning-after cringe—who hasn't woken up wondering if they still have a job? According to the survey, a whopping 63% of employees have regretted their conduct at a holiday party. Whether it's oversharing at the karaoke machine or "accidental" mistletoe mishaps, it seems many of us have a holiday party story we'd rather forget.
What tops the list of regrets? It's a tie between getting a bit too cozy with the punchbowl and speaking negatively about the workplace, both regrets that 31% of employees admit to. Beyond that, more than a quarter of workers say they regret making inappropriate jokes (28%) or flirting with someone they work with (26%) at a work-sponsored holiday party.
Secret Santa still rules
In the realm of traditional holiday activities, there's one that's loved more than all others — the Secret Santa exchange. More than two-thirds (67%) of employees confess their love for this gift-giving tradition.
On the flip side, group volunteering takes the bottom spot on the popularity scale. Only a fraction of employees (a mere 14%) find joy in mandatory volunteer activities.
Show us the money
Over half (52%) of employees are expecting to receive an end-of-year bonus. It appears that remote workers might be missing out on this holiday cash - just a little more than one-third (34%) of people working remotely expect a bonus this year.
Not surprisingly, a whopping 60% would be happy if their employer canceled the holiday party and gave them a bigger bonus this year.
The bottom line
Despite the pressures, the regrets, and the occasional overindulgence, the majority of workers still find joy in the annual office holiday party. It's a time to unwind, celebrate achievements, and let loose with coworkers.
Methodology: FinanceBuzz surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in October 2023. Only those who indicated they had attended a work-sponsored holiday party in the past were asked questions relating to specific things they have done or seen at a work party. Only those who indicated they currently have a job were asked questions about bonuses. See the full survey results here.
Editor’s Note: Generative AI tools helped write this story.
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