Ask Ash

Dear Ash

Our boss has an attitude akin to Scrooge and does not see the point in making a big deal around Christmas in the office. He has made it clear to everyone that there will be no paid-for staff Christmas lunch this year and no Christmas bonus for staff. We were all disappointed by this, especially as we have been working really hard throughout the year.

However, we have now decided to arrange our own departmental lunch – but some of the team are threatening not to go if our boss is invited. Although I can understand their frustration, I don’t think it would be very fair to exclude our boss!

Ash replies:

“Bah humbug!” I can imagine how annoyed the team must be, especially after working so hard for most of the year. However, at the end of the day, he is still your boss and you do not want to jeopardise your relationship with him. It may be that your boss was advised of the decision about cutbacks from higher up the management chain and had little choice but to relay the message?

Whatever the cause of the cutbacks, it is important that you still maintain a certain level of professionalism and decorum in the team and that you do not cut off your nose to spite your face. I suggest that you perhaps advise your team that it would be difficult to justify, for example, having a staff lunch within office hours if your boss was not invited? You may also want to suggest having a separate drinks night after work, without any management, in order to appease the more disgruntled members?

Whatever you decide, remember that despite your boss’s attitude, you still need to maintain a good working relationship, Christmas or no Christmas and, therefore, try to ensure that you engage in the festive spirit!