According to a CROP survey carried out for the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés in November 2008, despite the economic downturn, more than three-quarters of Quebec workers will still have opportunity to attend a Christmas party organized by their employer this year.
Results similar to last year
Responding to the CROP-CRHA survey, 76% of those interviewed reported that their employer planned to organize a Christmas party this year, compared to 75% last year.
“Because of the economic slowdown, we could have expected fewer employers to be organizing an office party this year. Luckily, that doesn’t seem to be the case and that’s good news. The Christmas party is a good opportunity to thank employees, who see it as a sign of recognition on their employer’s part, which in turn helps keep them mobilized. What’s more, a lack of recognition is often the reason people quit their jobs,” explained Florent Francoeur, CHRP, Ordre president and CEO.
An important event for workers and employers
Christmas festivities are even more important since the office party is often the only activity an organization organizes for its staff, as indicated by 32% of workers. In addition, 38% of respondents said they would be disappointed if their employer had to cancel the Christmas party because of the economic pinch. Interestingly, this percentage climbs to 53% among 18-to34-year-olds.
“These findings clearly underscore the importance of events like these, both for employers and their employees. It’s definitely better to trim the party’s budget than to cancel the event altogether. Simply continuing to hold the party in spite of troubled economic times sends a positive message to employees and reduces their insecurity. And in today’s environment, that’s worth its weight in gold,” concluded Francoeur.
To learn more
The complete results of the CROP-CRHA survey are available here (in French only).
