Employers Less Likely to Foot the Bill for Holiday Parties

December 7, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - BNA's annual Year-End Holiday Practices survey finds organizations sponsoring companywide parties will be somewhat less likely this year to pick up the full cost.

Among employers planning to sponsor companywide celebrations in 2011, 85% will pay the full cost of the party—down from the 89% that opted to pay the entire bill in 2009 and 2010, and the 92% that sprang for the full bill in 2008. Median per-employee expenditure for companywide parties will be $41, little changed from the $42 per employee spent last year.  

The survey also found more leave and gift-giving by employers, but little change in sponsorship of holiday parties, BNA said.  

Based on responses from 392 human resources and employee relations executives, 78% of employers will sponsor one or more year-end events in 2011, including luncheons, dinners, departmental gatherings and companywide parties—little changed from 2010 (76%). Employer sponsorship of companywide parties also has changed little from 2010 (58%) to 2011 (56%).  

Forty-six percent of surveyed employers will give their workers some type of year-end holiday gift or bonus, up from 41% of employers in 2010 and 33% in 2009. Gift giving is at a five-year high, rebounding from the low established in 2009.  

Holiday leave will be more generous this year than last. With Christmas and New Year's Day each falling on a Sunday, 42% of employers will grant workers three or more days off with pay. In contrast, 36% granted three or more days paid leave during the 2010-2011 holiday season.