Holidays and Seasons

Stats Of The Week: The Decline Of The Firm Holiday Party

There are indications that the holiday party is apparently in decline.

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While Biglaw bonuses are flat, there are indications that another year-end staple, the holiday party, is apparently in decline.

As reported by Bloomberg, a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that this year 65 percent of employers reported that they plan to hold a holiday party for their employees, down from 72 percent in 2012. In 1998, 83 percent of those surveyed threw parties.

Today’s New York Post cites a 2014 survey of more than 1,500 companies conducted by Seamless finding that holiday parties are increasingly casual, if not cut-rate. According to the Seamless survey, 22 percent of offices actually opt for a potluck party — up 120% over 2012. More tragically, 44 percent of companies did not offer any booze. Two years prior, only 21 percent of companies threw dry “parties.”

The money quote in the Post piece comes from “Kate, 32, a Midtown employment-law attorney”:

“My firm is incredibly profitable … Still, our office party — which, by the way, is mandatory — is a conference-room table covered with platters of Costco veggies and dip and a few screw-top bottles of wine. It’s embarrassing for everyone. No one wants to be there, it’s not festive, and it doesn’t scream appreciation.”

Perhaps some ATL readers can relate?

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