Well it’s that time of year again.
After months of commuting and the nine to five grind, millions of hard working people are ready to wave the office goodbye for a week or two, and put their feet up with a glass of sherry and some festive TV.
For many of us, the final hurrah before heading home to friends and family will come in the form of the office Christmas party.
For many the office party represents an opportunity to stop talking shop with colleagues and cracking open a bottle or two, hopefully, at the companies expense.
Yet for at least one person in the office, the staff party is a potential social banana skin that needs to be negotiated with care and aplomb, in order to cap off the working year.
Up and down the land bosses will be tasked with delivering the office party Christmas speech, a final opportunity to rally staff and offer praise and encouragement for the contributions of the workforce.
Getting it wrong, therefore, can potentially be a disaster, at best ending the year on a bum-note, at worst leading to a formal complaint.
In order to assist the more impersonal or socially awkward department manager or director, there is a handy checklist for drafting and delivering the perfect Christmas party speech.
We suggest that every boss:
1. Plans in advance
2. Keeps it short
3. Includes a warm welcome
4. Says 'thank you'
5. Keeps things constructive and positive
6. Doesn't over-motivate
7. Includes a funny story
8. Ends with a toast
With a bit of luck, sticking to these simple guidelines should see any boss end the year winning the respect and glad tidings of their team, and avoid any David Brent-esq comparisons that may have consequences for future employability...
