With the festive season upon us once more, thousands of employees across the UK are looking forward to their work Christmas party.

However, over 30% of staff will be missing out on the festivities as their employers do not make arrangements for a work Christmas party and expect their employees to make their own plans to get together with colleagues.

But what effect does the annual work Christmas party have on employees and is it worth the cost to help aid staff motivation and retention?

Surveys have shown that 25% of employees enjoy socialising with their colleagues outside of the office environment and see the work Christmas party as a ‘nice to have’ benefit for working hard all year.

Many see it as a thank you from their employers for the contribution they have made to their business over the last twelve months which helps motivate them to continue to work hard in the following year as they feel their efforts have been appreciated.

The 31% that don’t receive any kind of employer organised festive function say that the feel they are missing out on an opportunity to bond outside of work with their colleagues.

From a HR perspective, the work Christmas party is one of the only opportunities available in the annual calendar to engage all of your staff at the same time and to thank them for their hard work and commitment to your company. Christmas parties are often a good way to make staff feel valued in large numbers.

With this in mind, it might be beneficial for employers who don’t currently offer a work Christmas party to have a rethink this year to help aid employee retention and show their staff just how much they appreciate their dedication to the company.