7 ways to avoid Christmas party disasters

2. Trading Places
We seem to be paying some of our employees an awful lot of money.

“Whispers of possible pay rises and promotions to the sound of Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic can be an intoxicating mix for any employee and words of encouragement can easily be misinterpreted.

“One company was described as ‘lucky’ after the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled in favour of the employer after an employee claimed constructive dismissal on the grounds that his manager had broken a promise, made at a Christmas party, to double his salary.

“EAT decided that the context of the conversation indicated the manager did not intend to enter into any legally binding contractual commitment, however commentators warn it could easily have gone the other way.”

3. Love Actually
If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.

“A kiss under the mistletoe may be a sweet tradition, but in the workplace, flirty banter can quickly turn sour.

“Employers can aim to reduce the chances of staff getting over-friendly by putting in place a policy on workplace social events that sets out acceptable standards of behaviour at a party as well as any sanctions for breaches.

“Organisations can protect themselves against sexual harassment complaints by ensuring that staff are well aware of equal opportunities and/or bullying and harassment policies. It is also worth noting that if a claim is raised, employers might not be held liable for the actions of their employees if they have arranged adequate regular equal opportunities training for staff.”