Christmas party awards - humiliating or harmless fun?

[TippyToes123]

Our office Christmas party takes place in a couple of weeks and an email has been sent to all staff by the organiser asking us to nominate our colleagues for an alternative awards ceremony.

The categories include things like 'worst tea maker', 'office clown', 'always chatting' and so on. There is also an award for the person who loves to drink but can't handle it.

For context, my employer is a national firm which prides itself on looking after their staff and having a culture of respect. But our local office is more 'laid back' and has a heavy drinking culture.

Since I joined, there have been many staff events, which have included lots of free alcohol. I have witnessed colleagues getting very drunk, being sick, saying and doing things they have regretted afterwards. Usually, it is the newer trainees who are swept along with the free alcohol and encouraged to knock back shots. I think that making anyone get up in front of their colleagues to accept an award for not being able to handle their drink is humiliating. If it was me, I would be mortified. (For the record, I've been tee-total since joining and am not expecting to be nominated!)

I know that if I was to express my feelings on this (which I won't), I would be accused of missing the point and trying to spoil everyone else's fun. In fact, the email even stated that these awards are to be taken in the good nature and spirit that they are intended, a bit of fun.

So I'm interested to know...AIBU?

Yes...it's just a bit of harmless fun, which promotes team bonding.
No...it is potentially humiliating and adds nothing to the Christmas celebrations.

I think it's mean at best

There are plenty of games to do instead and give out awards for the winners of those

Last year, everyone gave an interesting fact about themselves, and we had to fit the fact to the person, which was surprisingly a lot of fun

Baby photos, song lyrics, Cmas trivia

There are so many other options, why take a chance on something this potentially nasty

This sounds awful. I like a bit of fun, but awards for negative things are really not on. Like a previous poster said, if it was best cup of tea, most helpful etc. that would be much more appropriate.

At best it's cringeworthy, childish, outdated drivel and at worst it's very poor work culture, that can blow up harassment and bullying issues, given that workplace mental health is a big focus now, and you never know what some people are going through, it's crass in the extreme. Having worked in HR for 30 years I would have to question what idiot drummed this up and what training they still need to drag them into the 21st century

Yeah, that's awful. They should be positive or non-existent.

I think there should be an « opt out of nominations and receiving awards » button so that you don’t have to participate.

Maybe suggest that to HR? Best to go with a solution rather than a problem.

This is just mean and nasty. I wouldn't go if I were you, OP.

Ur an adult go find a sense of humour and dont spoil the fun for everyone else

What part of my post indicated that I was going to spoil anyone's fun? Or, let me guess, you didn't actually read it?

They're asking for trouble!

I have a sense of humour and enjoy a joke - but not at someone's expense. Especially not when it might upset them.

DD's sixth-form prom featured a joke awards section - but it was things like "will be the first to be a famous TV star" so future-looking and actually lighthearted.

On the other side, and sounding a lot more like your firm's awards, I once went to a do at my work where I was relatively senior and awards were given out (not voted on by staff - that's even worse IMHO) - I can recall only two. One was for 'worst driver" (or maybe "best" in a sarcastic way) which went to a somone who had written off his company car - he was also a senior colleague (in fact I imagine all awards went to senior colleagues in this case).

The other one was for "worst [possibly fake best] dressed" - the award went to a colleague "whose skirts were always too short" among other fashion faux-pas - yes, that was me. In my defence I was only late 20s-30 so perhaps thought I had the legs for the short skirts. Anyway, I had to go up and accept some horrible cheap clothing item as my prize. It was beyond grim. I immediately changed the kinds of things I wore to work, and clearly I have never forgotten it. Now maybe it was a salutary lesson to me to think carefully about what I wore as I had no idea everyone was laughing at me. Well, maybe they weren't, but it felt like it.

OP if there is an issue with someone being too chatty or too loud or whatever else, there is a way and a time to deal with it tbh. Unfunny awards is not that place.

I don't think it's funny or professional to take the mick out of workmates.

It's fine to have awards for positive things - as others have said, things like best tea maker.

I think even with awards like 'best tea maker' there's the possibility of upsetting someone. Imagine getting that if you've been overlooked for promotion or if you're the youngest or only female in the team!

Oh, this is the stuff of my nightmares as an employment lawyer. I haven't rtft but I'd be raising it with national HR who might be a bit more savvy about the potential for a load of tribunal claims landing on their desks!

Just reply all to the office including the organiser saying:
This year’s Dundie award goes to the organiser.

``Oh it's just a bit of fun, you've got no sense of humour.''
That's what bullies always say.

Heavy drinking adults needing to sweep younger people along with them. It’s terrible.
I’d make an anonymous report to HR reminding them that if something serious happened the company would be heavily criticised for the culture and the free alcohol.
the company has a duty of care towards its staff. Nothing like this has ever hit the headlines but one day it will.

It’s not a great environment if you have to say “minus the drinking” when the drinking is the central part.
That’s like saying a garden is a great natural environment minus the artificial lawn and hot tub!

Jimmy saville was a great person minus the child molestation

@Eskimal minus the drinking for the OP not for me I would love it who wouldn’t want a nice work environment doesn’t mean you have to join in and drink all the time!