A new report highlights how employees across the UK are being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, as a vast majority (94%) would rather their employer use the budget staff bonuses rather than for a Christmas party.
This festive period is going to be particularly tough for millions of people in the UK and many employees are unimpressed that firms are still choosing to spend money on lavish Christmas parties.
The workplace survey is from CareerWallet, which gives a true overview of working life in the UK and how the jobs market is being impacted by economic factors including the cost of living.
Do employees enjoy office Christmas parties?
The extensive survey also showed that for many even in ‘normal’ economic climates the Christmas party is still perceived negatively with one in 10 (10%) employees admitting it was one of the things they disliked most about their job with many not wanting to be forced to socialise with superiors and work colleagues.
This is not surprising considering the survey also highlighted nearly one in four (23%) of employees admitted that their colleagues were high on the list of things they loathe most about work.
Craig Bines, CEO of The CareerWallet Group, commented:
“Our new workplace survey highlights how many employees are struggling financially at the moment as rising bills and inflation start to bite. For many businesses ‘rewarding’ staff with a Christmas party this year may not be as well received as expected with many focussed on increasing their salaries as much as possible to cover costs.
“Many candidates will be looking to move roles, especially in the new year and in this buoyant job market, plenty of roles are available. At CareerWallet we have millions of vacancies available across the UK so it is an ideal time to register and find your next position.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
