Festive rewards | 9 in 10 firms to take Xmas parties virtual this year

While work Christmas parties may be looking a little different in light of the pandemic, new research has found that a whopping number of UK businesses are planning to take the office party online this year.

Almost nine in ten (89%) UK employers – who traditionally fork out circa £1billion on Christmas parties for staff members – are seeking virtual merriment this year in the place of a traditional Xmas knees-up, new research from Hire Space has found.

But it seems that this move to online aligns with the wider trend of employers now moving to online events during the pandemic, with 94% of businesses planning to host virtual events over the next year.

Yet it’s worth noting that for many employees, the concept of a ‘festive quiz’ or ‘virtual drinks’ may be less appealing given their increased frequency throughout lockdown periods and when working remotely.