Don’t choose a random pub in the middle of nowhere

A bad-tempered or overly complimentary boss, colleagues who drink too much alcohol and behave badly, an awkward atmosphere, forced festivities or a party in a random pub in the middle of nowhere - there are many factors that can turn any office Christmas party into a disaster. But there are a few basic rules that will make your end-of-year party with colleagues a memorable and fun event. Organizational psychologist Professor Hannes Zacher from Leipzig University has conducted research into what these are and what Christmas parties mean for teams, and published his findings in the journal Scientific Reports. "The Christmas party as a ritual is a reflection of the organization's culture and should be something that celebrates the past year," he says, adding that these rituals have received little scholarly attention from experts in the past. This is why, back in January 2019, Zacher asked a total of 359 employees of different ages and salary brackets - from a wide range of industries across Germany - what it is that makes a company Christmas party successful and what can dampen the mood. The findings, he says, are "more relevant than ever". In the survey, Zacher identified a number of satisfaction-related factors that contribute to the success of the company Christmas party.