A UK study says work party hangovers cost businesses £740m – no word yet on the comparative Canadian cost.
A new study from the UK says Christmas party hangovers will cost businesses there three-quarters of a billion dollars in lost productivity this year.
The Travelodge study also found that the number of parties had increased, with three out of four companies hosting all-expenses-paid events for their workforce this December, compared to just one-quarter last year. The company’s spokesperson said this was a sign of the end of the recession in Britain.
The hotel chain reported that as the country began to exit the recession, 53 per cent of the 2,000 workers canvassed said they would be “partying like never before”, and 36 per cent would be getting drunk at their work bash “because they deserved it.”
Respondents said that they expected their productivity to halve the next day as a result of nursing a hangover, while a quarter admitted that they were likely to call in sick.
One-third of respondents felt that it was important to hold an office Christmas celebration, as it enhanced team morale and encouraged co-workers to bond.
But one-quarter said that they would be avoiding their office shindig because they did not enjoy socializing with their colleagues, while one in 10 warned that they would be emboldened to tell their boss what they thought of them after a few drinks.
What are your worst holiday party experiences?
