UK workers are shunning the office Christmas party. But why?
Fewer office workers are set to attend their company Christmas party this year, but why? Anna Moloney explains
Office Christmas parties have long inspired ambivalence, but even those who claim to hate them can usually be found in attendance. Perhaps not for much longer though, with new research showing fewer workers are set to attend their workplace’s Christmas party this year.
Indeed, according to a survey of 1,000 workers carried out by Linkedin, almost one in three workers are less likely to attend a festive event this year due to increasing demands on their time, while almost a third said they were less likely to attend end-of-year work events now than they were five years ago.
The study cited increasing workloads for the shift in festive enthusiasm, with employees shunning in-person networking due to their reluctance to extend the working day.
Janine Chamberlin, head of Linkedin UK, said: “Our data shows that while professionals recognise the importance of networking, many aren’t able to prioritise it amid competing demands for their time.
“As more companies offer hybrid and remote working setups, which are key to attracting and retaining talent, networking has shifted to also take place online.”
Elsewhere, declining mistletoe sales have also been cited as signalling a cultural shift when it comes to December festivities, with renowned mistletoe auctioneer Nick “Mr Mistletoe” Champion bemoaning the rise of “woke” for the drop-off. “Workers used to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas parties, but with all the wokery nowadays they would be accused of abuse.”
Champion said mistletoe sales had fallen significantly over the last two decades, with him expecting to sell only 500 mistletoe lots at his annual auction this year, compared to the 2,000 sold in the plant’s 90s heyday. He said it was a particular shame this year, with the recent cold snap having created a bumper quality crop.