Work party or bonus? What do Kiwis want this Christmas

BYO is not a new concept but it seems there is an increasing trend towards employees picking up much of the tab at their work Christmas party.

Some organisations are limiting their festive spend to $20 a head with a rider that the money cannot be spent on alcohol.

Another is stumping up $5 a person, while some functions are completely staff funded.

Even less frequent are end-of-year bonuses, with the even the private sector feeling the financial squeeze of today's economic climate.

With job cuts hitting the public sector even harder, bonuses, and even now Christmas work parties, are not what they used to be for many.

RNZ asked Kiwis in Hamilton what they would prefer, with the tough economic times at the forefront of both sides of the coin.

"I have two young kiddos, so honestly, probably a bonus," one woman said.

While another woman joked both, and a third opted for the bonus as well.

One man confidently chose the Christmas party, with a second opting for the same "because it's recognition and it's the gathering of everyone together."

Another said he thought a Christmas party was a great opportunity to celebrate the year, which meant more to him than a bonus.

Massey's School of Business Management professor Jarrod Haar said given the economic climate, it is not unreasonable to ask employees to chip in.

"In some respects, it's probably fair right, to say 'if you want to have a Christmas party, we're going to have to self-fund it, because you're in that kind of austerity time," he told Checkpoint.

"I think the important thing is to celebrate when times are good and recognise that sometimes you have to chip in when times are at the other end."

He said the times of Auckland-based workers taking a lavish trip to Waiheke Island for a vineyard Christmas lunch are over for most and many are having to settle for a more simple approach, like catered lunch at a single restaurant instead.

He echoed those who said a Christmas party is a valuable tool to celebrate the year, even if it was just to toast to surviving.

Haar also warned companies that used to host Christmas parties, but have since opted against it, run the risk of losing key staff.

"You get staff ruminating over the summer break and maybe starting to think, 'I might look for an opportunity elsewhere'," he said.

He said all the savings made on not having a party could lose you more if a talented worker were to leave as a result.

Haar believes the same goes for Christmas bonuses.

"I do think they are wonderful things if you are getting it. I have talked to people in the private sector who said, 'last year, we had a Christmas bonus, and this year, we do not'," he said.

"If it used to be something you always get, and now it's disappeared, then that does make people star to think 'the business has changed and I maybe I don't want to be in this business any longer'."

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