No Scrooge bosses this Christmas

The results of the SmartCompany Christmas party straw poll are in and workers around Australia can rest easy – in most businesses it will be employers footing the bill.

Of the 157 respondents we had this morning an overwhelming 85% said the employer should pay for the office Christmas party.

Just 3% of respondents said the employee should pay, while 12% said that the costs should be shared.

Forget the industrial relation tensions breaking out in certain sectors of the economy – this straw poll suggests that employer/employee relations are still reasonably healthy.

It also suggests that regardless of any difficulties entrepreneurs may have experienced in the last 12 months – and let’s face it, it has been rocky in some sectors – the act of shouting your workers a Christmas drink remains an important tradition.

That’s not to say that businesses will not be scaling back their Christmas parties this year, as we saw with media giant Seven West Media, which last week canned all employer-funded events.

This morning I spoke with Todd Graham, owner of Diamond Blue Catering in Melbourne, who said he has noticed a distinct scaling back by corporate clients over the last 12 months and into the busy Christmas period.

“I started this business four years ago. My first two years were awesome, last year was a bit slower and this year is a bit slower again,” he says.

“We’re seeing a lot of smaller parties. Where there might have been 200 guests a few years ago, this year it is 40 or 50. The partners or the clients might not have been invited.”

I asked Graham to provide some recommendations for employers who might still be scrambling to get something organised for their staff – and find something that will fit their budget.

His suggestion is a barbecue because of the flexibility it offers. Businesses can go as gourmet as they like, it can be a sit down meal or a stand up cocktail party and there are a variety of venues where this type of event can be held.

If you’re choosing between a formal dinner and a cocktail party with canapés, Graham says the majority of corporate clients are choosing the scaled-back cocktail party option.

If you’ve got any suggestions for members of the SmartCompany community still struggling for an idea, let us know in the comments suggestion below.

And finally, don’t forget the advice of our dear old Aunty B, who told us a few weeks ago her “preference is always a great restaurant with excellent wine and food, preferably by a pool and with surprise gifts or hampers”.

I do hope I score an invite to that event!