How to deal with a colleague's low morale due to not being involved in a company event

[HannahP2024]

What would be a fair resolution here so everyone is happy?

Our company holds celebrations in October (last Friday, 18th), as profits exceed the target for the year by Quarter 3, and so a celebration is held, to thank the staff for their hard work, and an event everyone looks forward to.

I, and another colleague are in charge of organizing this event. Year on year there is a pretty consistent attendance of 75%, as not everyone is interested, so a suitable venue is chosen for this number. This year it was oversubscribed and so a handful of people were on a wait-list for a month. The day before the party everyone was eventually given a space. Unfortunately someone missed out saying it was too little notice, and was upset about being made to wait a month on a wait list and then missing out, especially when all other colleagues are talking about what a great event it was.

Is she justified in making a complaint? I have told her that she was eventually given a space, which she rejected, and no company policies were broken in the way it was organised, and that she should accept that, and maybe she will be able to attend next year. I would like advice on how one should resolve this issue, or leave it as it is, as this is not the company's fault she couldn't attend last minute. Thanks

Well bully for you that £50 doesn't mean much to you, though it may do to others.

You haven't shown yourself in a good light by this post. It is disappointing that as a lawyer you seem to care little about the consequences to people of employers not complying with the law let alone treating their staff decently.

I have found one case about xmas party non invite discrimination. Clearly other issues there in this case as also made redundant when on maternity. Could not find any others beyond law firms saying it could be discrimination if various things aren't taken into account (age/sex/non drinkers etc etc).

www.employmentbuddy.com/hr-articles/company-sued-for-not-inviting-employee-on-maternity-to-christmas-party/

I already stated that it’s clearly a stupid way to run an event. But the vast majority of people would just get over it. It’s really not a big deal.

Well this employee doesn't want to 'just get over it' regardless of whether the majority would. And being discriminated against on the grounds of sex (which may potentially be the case here) actually is a big deal.

That is unfair on those who happen to be away on holiday, off sick or on other leave (attending a funeral for instance) that day. Part-timers could also miss out.

In future, it would be fairer if everyone is given a few days to respond (making sure that everyone who is absent is also given the opportunity), and then names are drawn at random.

There are likely to be people on leave at any given time in a large organisation. So having say a time window to apply, and then a ballot, might be a fairer way in future. Or if an annual event, preference first to those who missed last year.

Narrow time windows or everyone at a certain time is likely to give some unintended unfairness. Leave could be for all sorts of reasons, I for example have had leave last year to go to a memorial event.

My employer had something similar for our last Christmas party. It was oversubscribed because of the venue - people wanted to go to it - I don't think this year's will be as popular. They managed to squeeze a few people in, but ultimately I think some people missed out. although there was a waiting list.

It seems very penny pinching to refuse to give someone £50 so they could have a meal out if they were upset especially as they were on annual leave when places were allocated. I agree that it would be a good idea to give those who missed out this year preference next year.

When my husband was at university, he had accommodation for all three years. In the first year you got somewhere allocated and then for the second and third year there was a ballot for the rooms with the people higher up the list getting the nicer rooms. The following year the list was reversed. Of course the downside was that if you were in the middle, you got the average rooms both years!

Hopefully you never give advice to anyone regarding employment.

Hardly fair she missed out due to being on Annual Leave.

Is there something else going on with this employee too? Or is this the only issue?

It's not fair but does that amount (legally) to sex based discrimination?

It's a difficult case to argue it was discrimination in that sense.

An apology and changing the process (longer to apply, lottery for places of restricted) is sensible for next time.

You're a lawyer and you talk about 'marking someone's cards' because they raised an issue with the way they were treated? Does that mean that you will look for a reason to get rid of someone who you think is being difficult? Surely that's not legal?

Although you don't need to be in a trade union and you don't need a £50 voucher to compensate for missing a social event, is it beyond your comprehension/imagination that some people need unions to fight for them if they experience poor treatment/discrimination at work and that for some people £50 is a lot of money?

If you are a lawyer then I’m somewhat surprised you haven’t twigged that an employer discriminating against part time employees - whether it amounts to £50 or £500 - isn’t lawful whether you’re bothered by it or not.

Also agree with other posters, it’s not a race to the bottom and lot of the rights and protections we have in the work place, particularly as women, came from someone sticking their head above the parapet and complaining. They were probably called petty and ridiculous as well.

Also to say we’ve strayed a bit away from the OP which probably isn’t discrimination but it’s just a shit way of treating someone. It sounds like the OPs company now has up to 25% of their employees feeling fairly pissed off and aggrieved due to an event that was supposed to celebrate good performance.

When I do events (which is quite often) I always plan for the number of people who will be invited not who want to go. I can always tell the venue later if people can't come and reduce the numbers but you can't always add people if a venue isn't big enough.

What sort of orgainser/company doesn't plan for everyone? How is that fair on the employees, especially ones on annual leave when the invite comes out. Then to have a wait list. I'd feel like I and my work wasn't important to the company too.

Next time look for a venue that can cater for everyone regardless of how many you or the company think will turn up.

Unfortunately first come first served for spaces, and she was on annual leave that day when all spaces got filled up. :-(

Eurgh I HATE stuff like this at work, I think she has more reason to moan because she didn't get a fair chance to get a space. With sign ups I always make sure to say in advance when they'll be opening, people who are on annual leave that day I contact and ask if they'd be interested. It's also not always easy to arrange something at such short notice, if it was childcare for example, I doubt she was going to pay for it in case a spot cropped up and the day before was probably too late to find someone.

Because it was unfair in the first place to not have spaces for everyone, and given she wasn't given a fair chance to sign up as she was on leave (and wasn't just that she didn't bother) I think she's in the right to moan and I think the company should give her some money.

Shocking that companies book venues that don’t accommodate all their employees. I’ve never heard of this happen before.

Yes I agree. Admittedly a long time ago I worked a bit in ‘events’ and I would look for somewhere that would accommodate the maximum numbers, but where the minimum committed to was as low as possible. Then commit to the lower, whilst still being able to increase. As long as enough notice was given to increase for catering, these venues were happy for the additional income later on. Win win. I deliberately checked these sorts of terms and conditions first, as the events were to make money. Likewise cancellation terms, and places where you can partition rooms if you end up with far less than you expected at the time of booking.

For catering, if the venue had been used before and the food was plentiful with leftovers, I might have cut down a little on food, but very rarely, and this is more because I can’t stand to see food waste.

I agree.
Ridiculous.
It's a thank you to the staff but only some can go 🙄

OP if you are still reading, you need to nail down for next year, exactly why you are holding this event. It’s clearly not to reward all staff because it’s planned to not be for all staff. It’s not to reward the best staff as places were allocated on first come first served, not based on performance. It’s not to boost moral as it does the opposite to those who miss out.

So is this a good bit of advertising for recruitment? Is it to show off your great results? Is it a celebration for senior management? What it is for?

if it is for what they claim - rewarding staff for good results, could the money be spent in a different way that actually rewards all the staff? Have staff been asked if this is what they’d like the reward budget to be spent on? If historically only 75% turn up, would it be fair to say this event aimed at rewarding 100% of staff is a failure?

As you have no decision making authority you can't do anything. Apologise to her, tell her you agree with her complaint but you have no power to compensate her on that way, and point her on the direction of whoever has authority to do something about it.

Decline organising future events, or if it is part of your contract to do this make sure those that lost out this year get first refusal next year, and work out a way to make it fairer to those on holiday and will miss putting their name in. Get approval for the changes from the decision maker and tell the person who missed out you are making these changes to avoid a similar situation next year.

The appropriate recompense isn't a meal out of her choice with her partner.

It's a set meal (or buffet?) at a venue chosen at random with random colleagues. Plus drinks.

(If she is demanding cash for a meal)
So at best, a second meal out for those left off with some senior people.

OP you say that this is 'an event everybody looks forward to' - then go on to say only 75% attend. So it is clearly not true that everyone looks forward to it; and historically, about 25% of your staff remain unrewarded. Is that not a concern for your employer, and maybe they can be encouraged to rethink this?

You don't state whether this event is held within or outside working hours. I would guess the latter because one would expect a much higher take up otherwise. Personally speaking, I want to spend my free time with loved ones and I also have family commitments which make my time very precious. I wouldn't necessarily appreciate being asked to attend an event alone, meeting work colleagues I see every working day, during my free time.

Maybe some people at your workplace feel the same, and your employer should rethink how they reward their people in a way that can be appreciated by all?

Strange that they would hold an event in a not big enough venue, doesn’t sound like good planning. Yes of course they should complain.