With Halloween almost upon us, many people’s thoughts will turn to pumpkins, cauldrons and broomsticks.
While many people will be thinking about pumpkin carving and spooky treats, those working in HR may start to reflect on some of the horror stories that they have encountered over the last year.
As such, HR Grapevine has collated a list of three haunting workplace horror stories.
Job candidate branded a ‘chav’ by interviewer
At one point in time, we have all been guilty of sending a message to the wrong person by mistake.
Yet, sending a bad email to the wrong person in a work setting is something that should be avoided at all costs as this could land employees in trouble.
HR Grapevine previously reported on an interviewer who accidentally emailed a potential new recruit, rather than a colleague, calling him a ‘chav’.
This incident not only highlights the importance of workplace professionalism but also the impact that a sending a bad message to the wrong person can have on an individual’s confidence and wellbeing.
Employee’s video call gaffe
When working from home, employees have faced a range of difficulties, from distracting pets to tech-related problems.
Yet, one employee was left feeling red-faced after a conference call gaffe that saw her inadvertently ‘flash’ herself in full view of her colleagues after she had used the toilet.
HR Grapevine previously reported that ‘Jennifer’ was on a Zoom group chat with colleagues and could be seen pulling her trousers down to relieve herself – unaware that her laptop camera was on.
Throwing away the boss’ food
For most employees, impressing the boss is a top priority. Yet, the actions of one employee is likely to have severely raised eyebrows.
In a 2020 Twitter thread, which revealed some of the biggest mistakes that staff had made at work, user @justdisappointin explained that she once threw away her boss’ dinner.
She recalled in the tweet: “It was homemade soup that she’d just made a few hours ago.”
What virtual activities could HR host this Halloween?
But Halloween isn’t just about reflecting on some of the biggest HR horror stories. It could also be a good opportunity for employers to bring teams of people together and to have some fun.
If HR teams are looking to run some virtual, Halloween-related activities today for staff to enjoy, HR Grapevine has collated a list of ideas for people teams.
Virtual costume competition
It wouldn’t be Halloween without dressing up, so why not host a virtual costume competition where employees can turn up as their favourite spooky characters?
In fact, a fancy-dress contest is something Instantprint did to maintain staff engagement levels and to boost colleague relationships among teams.
Employees at the organisation were encouraged to create spooky outfits and could enter to win an individual prize or as a group, with a chance to claim the title ‘Instantprint’s Halloween Champions 2020’.
Host a virtual pumpkin carving competition
Another popular Halloween tradition is to carve out spooky designs on pumpkins, so why not encourage your staff to get involved from the comfort of their own homes?
HR could circulate health and safety guidance beforehand and share some tips on how to carve the best pumpkin so that all staff can be in with a chance of bagging the prize.
Are you running any fun activities for staff this Halloween? If so, let us know in the comments below…
HR Grapevine brought together HR leaders and technology experts for a virtual event that explored the new opportunities created by technology – learning how to embrace them at every level, from strategic planning to day-to-day best practice. Catch up on what was covered at HR Grapevine VIRTUAL: HR Tech 2.0 and discover innovative approaches for integrating technology and empowering the people function.
