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 Resources: Office Parties
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• Poll: Holiday Parties Feel the Pinch
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November 09, 2006
More Company Holiday Parties Expected this Year

Ninety-four percent of businesses are planning a holiday celebration this year, up from 87 percent in 2005. Meanwhile, holiday "spirits" may be more common at company holiday celebrations this year, as 86 percent of businesses are planning to serve alcohol, up from 75 percent last year.

These were among the findings of Battalia Winston International's Annual Survey on Corporate Holiday Celebrations.

More than half (58 percent) of company holiday celebrations are scheduled for the week of December 11. As a result, Battalia Winston, an executive recruitment firm, advises that companies should be wary of a possible drop in productivity during that week. Here are some other noteworthy facts regarding holiday celebration plans this year:

  • 77 percent of holiday celebrations will be held off site
  • 74 percent will be evening events
  • 52 percent will be limited to employees only
  • 37 percent will include spouses of employees

"This year's survey demonstrates once again that the holiday party remains an important tradition at America 's businesses," said Battalia Winston CEO, Dale Winston, in a press release accompanying the survey. "Throughout the years, we've learned that the percentage of company parties is directly linked to the health of the economy. The strength of the stock market combined with stable interest rates and a drop in energy costs in recent months has given employers the confidence to celebrate again."

Whether that "confidence to celebrate again" translates to spending more money on holiday celebrations than usual is less clear. While 91 percent of employers are planning to pay for holiday parties (just 5 percent are asking employees to contribute and only 4 percent are letting employees foot the bill), 68 percent of businesses report that this year's celebration will cost about the same as last year (28 percent are planning to spend more than they did in 2005). Furthermore, most (62 percent) celebrations will not include gift giving, Battalia Winston reports, marking a continuing trend away from gifts since the late 1990s.