Unfortunately, many company holiday parties were put on hold in 2020. With the vaccinations up and COVID cases down in 2021, the party is back on! This is great news for the employees who were hired during the pandemic so they can meet their coworkers in person for the first time. Others are excited to re-connect with their coworkers as they remember how to socialize in person again like this SNL skit. This month’s blog is a follow on to prior holiday party related blogs to offer a few reminders/tips to keep everyone safe and civil at the company holiday party in a crazy post quarantine world.
Take an Uber
Making sure everyone gets home safely is the top safety concern execs have when hosting a company party. At a minimum, encourage everyone to have a plan prior to the party to avoid any foggy game time decisions after the nog. The best tip here is to ask employees to use a ride-share if they plan to consume alcohol. Some employers even offer ride share vouchers. Every exec wants to see their employees have a good time and make it back home safely this holiday season!
Use 3rd Party Vendors for Alcohol
The biggest tips from a risk management standpoint are to use 3rd party vendors (that carry liquor liability insurance) and to have TABC certified servers serving alcohol. Using vendors in the business of serving alcohol who are trained to identify when someone has been over served can create an environment that encourages alcohol consumption in moderation. This can aid employees from making bad decisions and help reduce your risk.
Communicate the Masks and Vax Policies
In the past executives have been concerned with inappropriate behavior such as being belligerent at the bar or getting a little too friendly with a co-worker on the dance floor after several ciders. This year’s environment may also lend itself to uncomfortable conversations regarding masks and vaccinations if policies are not clearly outlined and communicated ahead of time. The best advice here is to make sure the company policy has been cleared with legal and HR first. Then, effectively communicate those policies to the company and even addressing expectations around spouses/guests.
Ask legal, HR, and Insurance Experts
If there are questions or concerns that bubble up from the planning team, execs or board on liability, it makes sense to bring in the experts. Our tip here is to ask HR, legal counsel, and your insurance broker if you have questions about your liability during a holiday party.
- Encourage everyone to have a plan for getting home prior to the party
- Use third party vendors and TABC certified servers
- Communicate the Mask and Vax policies
- Ask your lawyer or commercial insurance agent if you have question
From your insurance power team here at Lumen…Happy holidays!
About Lumen:
Lumen Insurance Technologies is a tech-focused commercial insurance agency based in Austin, Texas. Lumen is hyper-focused on providing the technology startup ecosystem with quality commercial insurance coverage (e.g. D&O, E&O, Cyber, etc.) following a funding event and beyond.
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