Party time — let’s keep it that way

In the lead-up to Christmas a rather Grinch-like story from the United States which finds that increasing numbers of workers are dodging social events, including end-of-year parties with their colleagues, in favour of a strict nine-to-five regime.

Writer, Anne Marie Chalker quotes the example of Maryland research director who was leaving her job and expected 100 colleagues to turn up for farewell after-work drinks — fewer than 10 made an appearance.

“I guess people are just busy,” she said rather sadly.

While that evidence is anecdotal, Chalker quotes corporate event planners who say they are seeing less interest in work-related functions taking place outside normal business hours.

She believes the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause, with many more people working at least part of the time at home, meaning fewer opportunities for impromptu office happy hours and staying out late.

While this is understandable, I would hate to see Australia follow this example and the opportunities for office socialisation fade away. Organised properly, they are excellent times for networking, meeting people from outside your immediate area of expertise, understanding their problems and, in many cases, forming genuine and long-lasting friendships.

Semi-retired, I have fewer opportunities for such events these days, but recently, while lunching with my wife and a friend at a popular Canberra restaurant, I found that here at least the office Christmas party is alive and well.

We were lucky to get our orders in before a lively group of 20 descended on us. A few minutes later a smaller group arrived, with at least one, a remote worker, just off the plane to join her colleagues.

The restaurant owner told me the next week was dues to be the busiest he had experienced since the pandemic before the inevitable tailing off as Christmas got ever closer.

My thoughts go back to younger days in the United Kingdom and the heaving masses that packed the pub next door to our office from midday on cold Christmas Eves; double rounds when you could reach the bar as thoughts about returning to work melted away along with inhibitions and any sense of decorum.  

I have no wish to return to those days, but with greater maturity, I have valued the opportunities to meet workmates away from our desks, to discover their likes and dislikes, often to find we had similar interests and views. Even to share their hopes and sorrows.

We live in stressful times. Christmas itself can be a source of disillusionment and even dread for those who spend weeks preparing for the family reunion they know runs the risk of going terribly wrong.

As author, Harper Lee famously said: “You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family.” 

This is why I would hate to see office social events — and especially the annual Christmas party — become victims of the increasingly difficult and frightening times in which we are forced to live.