Different Strokes for Different Groups
![Miriam George](http://hrforms.blr.com/plugins/DefaultAvatars/design/BlueAvatar.jpg)
Every year as we approach the holiday season, we have folks unappy because the office and management group enjoy a special holiday party put on by the CEO whereas those working in production (we are a manufacturing firm) are not invited. We believe this is still a fairly common practice. There will always be groups or "classifications" of employees and different groups will enjoy different perks.
Anyway, do any of you have experience with this? How do you respond to the disgruntled group? Have you made some compromises in your holiday celebration to accommodate everyone?
Anyway, do any of you have experience with this? How do you respond to the disgruntled group? Have you made some compromises in your holiday celebration to accommodate everyone?
Comments
I have never worked for a company that excluded any group from a celebration in my 20+ years in the work force.
President and GM have thrown a special staff Christmas party where we have a chance to HON KNOB with them. Production group and groups often have their BBQs and Fish Frys and only invitied quest are expected to show up.
The Accounting manager has her assistants in for lunches and dinners several times a year and if you are not an accountant you may or may not be invited.
These are common in several different organizations with whom I have been associated.
The company provides turkeys frozen for every ee on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Cured Hams ready to eat are provided to every employee at our Christmas Party as a departing Christmas gift from the company. All ees are invitied and we hope all will attend.
The President comes to town about twice a month and he'll invited individuals to his hotel for frank discussions, dinner, and drinks. I have never been invited, but I don't get my feelings hurt because he and I talk during the daytime because I'm in the office and others are not.
PERKS are apart of the working world and all with any sense should be able to understand the pecking order and the value of the invites or non-invites.
EVERYONE NOW EAT MORE PORK!
pork
However since I live in the land of California, far from employer friendly, maybe it's all been a case of CYA. But it is the 'norm'.
Now, if the ranks are getting a frozen turkey and the managers all get a week in Hawaii, maybe THAT'S not so fair....
Pork - sorry about that. :-S (thats a sheepish face)
Why not have a production grouponly get together?
Previous life: a hotel-wide luncheon was hosted by the managers for the staff, and the managers also had their own party hosted by the GM (put together by HR). No complaints that I can remember in the twelve years I was there.
I can see there being separate parties if the locations are far apart or if there are too many people to have one big party. But if you are saying that that the production workers get nothing, that obviously would be wrong. Our General Office and branch office have a separate holiday party and the stores each have their individual party. But no other way for us to do it and the stores rather have their own party without us around. Whatever that says!
Elizabeth
Gene
We don't have anything special for the big shots. Everyone from the CEO and the directors to the custodial staff are invited and intermingle.
From your post, it doesn't sound like you are necessarily going to be able to affect a change immediately, if at all - but maybe over the course of time - you might, if you agree that is, be able to help the company see the error of its ways.
I have worked in a company where each dept. Did "teambuilding things" like ball games etc. There were just two of just in HR. I asked one of the managers if we could "tag along with them" and was told no, for us to do our own things. I didn't really have a lot in common with my co-worker and didn't see any need for the 2 of us to do anything together so we didnt. However, it didn't hurt my feelings. Also have been with a company whose owner asked certain people to a Christmas party at his home. It really hurt the feelings of some employees who were not asked. (I would just as soon not have been included because I felt I had to get dressed up and drive 40 miles to see the same folks I worked with every day... gave up my Sat. night.)
Lately, we (manufaturing company) have started having a pot luck Thanksgiving luncheon where all bring things and company pays for turkey and paper goods. Lots of fun and relaxed atmosphere. (Use to have a Christmas party at country club for all, but ended up that fewer and fewer people showed up so stopped.)
You will never please everyone so do what works for you and just tell people you have no controll on it and just get on with life. If they are unhappy about it, have them give their manager suggestions on things they could do. (Put it back in their lap to take action rather than gripe.)
Happy holidays.
E Wart
We have a Company sponsored Christmas party each year. All employees and their spouses, or significant others, what have you, are invited. Everyone from the CEO on down attends, and there is a lot of mingling between groups, managers, supervisors, hourly employees and various departments. We are a manufacturing operation and we run 24/7. Those employees who are working on the day of the paty are given a gift certificate for dinner for two at a nice resturant in town to compensate for inability to attend. We also sponsor a Company picnic in the summer, for all employees and their families. We have had the picnic at various venues, amusement parks, water slides, a baseball game, etc. Again, everyone, including the CEO attends and it is a lot of fun. The cost of these functions is minimal, when compared to the payback in higher morale. We are also a union shop and I am convinced that these types of functions, where all levels participate, can be very helpful in maintaining a good atmosphere in theplant.
I worked for two large companies that were spread out across the country. At one, each region at their own party and at the other each location could have their own or they could combine with other locations.
I have never worked for a company that didn't have some type of celebration for all their employees.
Also, we do holiday dinners (paid for by the company) for all shifts for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. These are held at our facility.
So, it isn't as though we only have special things for the office.
I plan to use some of your responses to encourage management to take a fresh look at this practice next year and perhaps do a company-wide event off-site for the holidays - not just for office folks.