Most employees would rather receive a bonus at Christmas than attend a staff party, according new research.
The majority of workers would rather receive a cash bonus from their employer over the festive period than attend a staff Christmas party, new research suggests.
Carried out by recruitment portal Monster, the study found 90 per cent of staff would prefer cash to a social gathering, shopping vouchers or extra holiday, with only three per cent of respondents stating their preference would be a festive bash.
Of employees who do have Christmas parties, two-thirds (66 per cent) said they do not look forward to them and believe their time would be better spent with family and friends.
For small businesses looking to throw a yuletide shindig, Monster offers a number of tips in order to save cash amid the current turbulence in the economy.
These include having parties in the office, as decorations can be used to create a festive atmosphere and money saved can be spent on food, drink and entertainment.
It also recommends involving an element of surprise in staff parties by organising an event such as a secret Santa.
Fun and interactive entertainment should be focused on, the portal suggests, adding that activities such a party games, pot luck suppers and karaoke can be great at getting employees to communicate with each other more effectively, which could translate to increased productivity in a work environment.
The organisation's recommendations echo those of Mike Petrook, public affairs manager at the Chartered Management Institute.
He recently suggested it is "so important" for employers to take the time to say thank you to their employees for all the hard work they put in over the course of a year by throwing a party of some kind.
