During the Christmas period there could be more opportunities for your employees to go out for lunches. Indeed, some companies and departments choose to hold their Christmas parties over an extended lunch break. This may mean that a glass or two is raised to celebrate the festive season.
If you have a policy of no alcohol during working hours, you should not undermine it just because it’s Christmas. This could cause you problems at a later date if you then decide to take disciplinary action against someone who has had a drink during work hours.
If your organisation does permit employees to drink alcohol, and it is happy to allow a few drinks to flow at lunch time, consider the work your employees will be returning to. Do you really want someone undertaking a complex task following a few drinks or operating heavy machinery? The consequences could be that the task is not completed correctly and you may end up picking up the pieces at a later date – you could end up losing money or clients.
Speak to line manages and assess the implications before the lunch. Questions should include: are employees required to return? Are there any deadlines looming? Can cover be arranged?
Make sure you read days 1-3 if you missed them and keep an eye out for day five tomorrow. Until then, may the festive spirit be with you.