Xmas party. How much?.

onomatopoeia99

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I've organised work social events, and it's a hideous thankless task. Whatever restaurant you choose someone will moan, even if it's paid for by work!

The restaurants rename their standard menu as "festive" by doing a turkey main and adding a mince pie, up the price by 20%, add a group service charge, and then people get bored sitting next to that dull bloke from HR who never says anything. It's all a nonsense.

Entirely different to our experience. Last time out we went to a restaurant that wasn't even doing a Christmas menu, and we don't have an HR department!

TBagpuss

BarryBlue wrote: »

Yes, I thought that. These companies can shell out a fortune on Xmas booze-ups, ultimately paid for by their clients, and nobody seems bothered. Yet if, say, a council put on even a basic buffet lunch for their staff many would be horrified. Public sector employees work just as hard as private sector ones, despite what some would have us all think, usually for less money. There are less perks too, and very few get anything provided at Christmas.

Not necessarily paid for by 'their clients'. We are a smallish business and the cot of the christimas party is paid for out of profits - i.e. by the Partners.

It can be disheartening though as no matter what you priovide there will always be people who winge about it.

We have always paid for everything, including transport. In presious years we have had an evening do -but get people grumbling that they can't / don't want to come. This year we are going for a late lunch + afternoon (it's a riverboat trip with food and entertainment) with minbuses from each office to the venue and back. We are now getting people complaining about the date, the fact they would have preferred a difernet venue.. you can't win.

I think we are paying £20 per head for food, with drinks and the hire of the boat on top of that.

The vegetarian option is wild mushroom filo parcels with various other bits and bobs, or something involving chestnuts and spinach - there are 2 vege, 2 meat and 1 fish choices for the main, and 3 of the 4 starter options are vegetarian (the other is fish again)

I do think that if people are asked to pay for their own meal then it is sensible to try to get a feel for what eveyone is comfortable paying. In previous years we have had lunches out for individual offices and these tend to be either on the basis that eveyone orders separately, so if you want you can limit your spend, or circulating options and prices first and then making a choice - last year, one of these meals was to a local pub - most of us had either 2 or 3 courses from their christmas menu, but one or two people just had one course, or had items from their bar menu. (they asked us to send oders in advance as we were a a largish group, but we were not limited to ordereing off the christmas menu.) one of the other ofices went to a lunchtime buffet at chinese returant which I think was about £8 each

CKgeordieinlondon

Working in London , we're faced with an eye-watering £40 (maybe a little less) for the team Christmas lunch. (I wouldn't expect to pay that amount in Coventry where the OP is based)

The best part is we get to have the rest of the day off so we're usually in the restaurant for about 4 hours and then on to the pub.

Usually one or two of the bosses picks up the booze bill. So if you like drinking (and I do) it usually works out OK.
I also quite like the set price, as at work they have a tendency to split the bill regardless of what people have, which can be annoying.

In the past I have avoided them but it turns out I like most of the people I work with and its quite nice to spend a bit of time with them outside the office.Mybe i just getting more mellow in my old age.

Oh and i haven't heard dinky for years either , but I suppose I still am one.

elisebutt65

I've just sent out a spreadsheet with 5 different venues ranging from £15-40 head with menus and entertainment options.
Date is the same and I've said that majority vote wins, no PR. LOL

emsywoo123

elisebutt65 wrote: »

I've just sent out a spreadsheet with 5 different venues ranging from £15-40 head with menus and entertainment options.
Date is the same and I've said that majority vote wins, no PR. LOL

Am I going entirely mad, or mixing you up with someone, I thought you were a tutor in a FE college?

coolcait

emsywoo123 wrote: »

Am I going entirely mad, or mixing you up with someone, I thought you were a tutor in a FE college?

I'm not sure how any of that would change the Xmas party options available to the OP's colleagues ...


Personally, I'm not a fan of spreadsheets. So, unless there are options which I'm simply not interested in - in terms of 'entertainment' or price - I'd probably answer "I'm happy to go along with the majority"


I have no idea how that vote would be counted in a first past the post system!

Spendless

BarryBlue wrote: »

Yes, I thought that. These companies can shell out a fortune on Xmas booze-ups, ultimately paid for by their clients, and nobody seems bothered. Yet if, say, a council put on even a basic buffet lunch for their staff many would be horrified. Public sector employees work just as hard as private sector ones, despite what some would have us all think, usually for less money. There are less perks too, and very few get anything provided at Christmas.

Not necessarily true. I've been employed in the private sector all my working life and have never had a Christmas do paid for by any company I've worked for. The only time I did get a free Christmas lunch is when I was a volunteer for a charity (the paid workers had to pay). However they shut up shop for the lunch and the rest of the day (unheard of in the private sector closing before end of business day). The charity was the only place I ever attended a paid for buffet which was for their AGM which was £15 per head, 7 years ago, the same price my private sector colleague said she paid for her wedding last month. It also depends on what you do/where you live re pay, the more basic jobs here, admin, catering staff are paid better than the local equivalent in the private sector where many positions are minimum wage.

sheramber

elisebutt65 wrote: »

I've just sent out a spreadsheet with 5 different venues ranging from £15-40 head with menus and entertainment options.
Date is the same and I've said that majority vote wins, no PR. LOL

So, your complaint is really that someone else was organising it, as you are now offering a choice of a £40 meal, which I presume you will pay if that is voted for despite thinking £39.50 was too expensive.

I think their reply to organise it yourself indicates that they were not happy with your previous choices so tried to do it themselves.
I wonder of they will go this year?

Jagraf

No one knows anyone's disposable income, whether they earn a lot or not. Even the company owners can be struggling, so for a company to pay for dinner for all its employees can be expensive, and certainly I don't see why a 'boss' should pay.

We finish a bit early and have doughnuts and posh coffee.

Those who want to go on a company night out can arrange it separately.

Irrespective of how much it costs, christmas food out is usually disappointing. Unless its the curry house

BarryBlue

Spendless wrote: »

Not necessarily true. I've been employed in the private sector all my working life and have never had a Christmas do paid for by any company I've worked for. The only time I did get a free Christmas lunch is when I was a volunteer for a charity (the paid workers had to pay). However they shut up shop for the lunch and the rest of the day (unheard of in the private sector closing before end of business day). The charity was the only place I ever attended a paid for buffet which was for their AGM which was £15 per head, 7 years ago, the same price my private sector colleague said she paid for her wedding last month. It also depends on what you do/where you live re pay, the more basic jobs here, admin, catering staff are paid better than the local equivalent in the private sector where many positions are minimum wage.

I think you missed my point. I'm not saying all companies provide free parties, nor even whether they should or not. It's just that nobody objects to it, while many people would begrudge a public sector worker getting as much as a free cup of tea and a biscuit because they think it is costing them.

I always avoided the formal seasonal events, preferring to have a couple of pints and perhaps a curry with the people I got on with. The advantage of the informal 'do' is that you don't have to invite everyone, just keep it exclusive.