Return of the office Christmas party signals renewed economic confidence: survey

If you haven’t already received your invitation to the company Christmas gala in the mail, check again. Chances are good you’ll be cutting a rug with your co-workers sometime between now and Dec. 25.

A new survey by Staples Canada Advantage indicates the office party is back after years of subdued celebration.

Nearly 80 per cent of organizations polled said they plan to host a holiday party, up from 60 per cent in 2013.

Scott D’Cunha, vice president of marketing for Staples Advantage, said the results signal a renewed confidence in the economy following an era of cautious spending post-2008.

“It does seem that people are more positive this year,” D’Cunha told Yahoo Canada Finance.

That doesn’t mean companies are going overboard. Holiday bonuses are still a rarity with the vast majority of associates surveyed, 83 per cent, saying they don’t expect to receive any extra money.

About 15 per cent of survey respondents received a holiday bonus last year.

Morale booster

For the staff at BroadbandTV, a media and tech company based in Vancouver, the office Christmas party is a much-loved event, and one that is eagerly anticipated by both staff and management.

This year’s party, held Dec. 4 at an upscale restaurant in Stanley Park, saw more than 90 per cent of the company’s 130 local staff members show up, with another 15 remote employees flying in from Europe and the United States.

“The next day the whole office was buzzing. The morale was extremely high,” said Neel Singh, head of BroadbandTV’s brand and marketing.

A positive work atmosphere is just one of the returns the company sees on its financial investment in the annual party, said Singh.

In a competitive tech environment, where attracting and retaining talent is an ongoing challenge, hosting a Christmas party is one way for the company to “show that we care.”

“It draws people towards the company. It’s something that you, beyond a paycheque, want to be part of,” he said.

The Staples Advantage Canada survey found that 83 per cent of staff invited to a company holiday party come for the opportunity to socialize with co-workers. A quarter of party-goers said they go to network, while 51 per cent admit they’re there for the food.

Half of all those surveyed said they will be purchasing gifts for their co-workers this year, with a third (38 per cent) of those generous folks agreeing to splash out for presents for up to four colleagues.

The boss may also see some shiny boxes on his or her desk. About 34 per cent of respondents said they plan on buying a present for someone in upper management, with most (38 per cent) planning to spend between $30 and $40 on the gift.

D’Cunha said gifts for the boss can range from a bottle of scotch or wine to some kind of personalized item such as a pen or a mug. Whatever it is, he said, “A gift that is given with sincerity is always well received.”

For those of you who also view your paystub as thanks for your workplace efforts, the forecast for 2015 is for modest base salary increases of 2.9 per cent for non-unionized staff and two per cent for unionized staff, according to a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada.

The highest anticipated average increase is in the oil and gas sector at 3.9 per cent, while the health sector will see the lowest average increases at 2.2 per cent, the report states.

Sixteen per cent of organizations expect growth in the size of their workforce next year.