Christmas celebrations and third-party harassment research 2026

by Vernujaa Nagandiram, Brightmine HR Data Insights Analyst

From company-wide parties to smaller team gatherings, workplace festive celebrations remain an important part of the employee experience. However, organisations must balance employee expectations, budget pressures and inclusion alongside new legal responsibilities. We examine how UK employers plan to mark Christmas and the end of 2026, the factors shaping their decisions and how they are preparing to manage third-party harassment risks at work-related social events.

Key findings:

• Department or team-based events are the most common way organisations plan to mark Christmas and the end of 2026.
• Budget is the biggest influence on festive celebration plans, cited by more than two-thirds of organisations.
• More than eight in 10 organisations believe third-party harassment concerns can be more difficult to investigate than those involving employees.
• Almost three-quarters of organisations plan to provide line managers with guidance on responding to third-party harassment concerns or complaints.

The traditional workplace Christmas party is changing. While festive celebrations continue to provide an opportunity to bring colleagues together and recognise their contribution, employers are increasingly balancing these benefits against cost, inclusion, changing employee expectations and the risks associated with work-related social events. These considerations take on greater significance this year as employers prepare for new third-party harassment provisions under the Employment Rights Act 2025, which comes into force on 30 October 2026. Organisations will need to consider how they protect employees from harassment involving individuals outside their workforce, including venue staff, suppliers and other third parties.

This HR & Compliance Centre research is based on our 2026 Christmas celebrations and third-party harassment survey, which collected insights from 175 UK organisations, representing approximately 195,000 employees. The report explores employer plans for festive celebrations, changing employee preferences and the measures being taken to prevent and respond to third-party harassment at work-related social events.

Celebrating the end of the year: plans and priorities

Most organisations plan to mark Christmas and the end of 2026 through some form of workplace celebration. Department or team-based events are the most common approach (54.3%), closely followed by company-wide parties (50.9%).

Chart 1: Common approaches to marking Christmas and the end of the year

Decisions about workplace celebrations are shaped by a combination of financial, organisational and employee-related considerations. Available budget is the most commonly reported influence, cited by more than two-thirds of organisations (69.1%). Employers also place considerable importance on the wider benefits of festive celebrations. Almost two-thirds (62.3%) identify team building and employee engagement as key factors, while 57.7% point to employee interest and expected attendance.

Inclusion and accessibility are also important considerations for around one-third of organisations (33.1%). Smaller proportions report that their decisions are influenced by hybrid or remote working arrangements (16%), employee wellbeing (14.3%), alcohol and conduct-related concerns (13.1%) or business performance (12%).

Legal and compliance considerations are cited by fewer than one in 10 organisations (8.6%), suggesting that practical and employee-focused factors play a much greater role in shaping decisions around festive celebrations.

How are festive celebrations changing in 2026?

Open-text responses provide further insight into how employers are adapting their 2026 festive celebration plans in response to financial, organisational and employee-related considerations. Keeping plans within available budgets was the most common theme (32.2%), with respondents describing events as “budget dependent” and opting for lower-key or more cost-effective arrangements. Almost one-third (30.8%) had moved towards smaller or alternative formats, including team and department-level celebrations. One respondent described moving away from the traditional large party and instead “allowing all teams to decide on what they would like to do individually”. Around one in five (18.9%) described changing the timing or location of events, with some moving celebrations into the working day. For others, this was also linked to managing conduct-related risks: “We choose to have a lunchtime event so that it is less ‘boozy’ and are careful about the entertainment booked (ie no rude or offensive comedians).”

Chart 2: How employers are adapting festive celebration plans for 2026

These changes to employer plans are mirrored by some shifts in employee preferences. Although most organisations report that expectations around festive celebrations have remained broadly stable, there are signs of changing preferences around how and when employees celebrate.

The clearest shift is towards smaller, team-based events, with almost four in 10 organisations (38.9%) reporting increased employee interest. More than one-third (34.9%) have seen a growing preference for celebrations held during working hours. Meanwhile, a quarter (25.1%) report declining interest in attending in-person festive events, compared with 13.1% reporting an increase.

Expectations around what employers provide may also be evolving. More than a quarter (28%) report growing expectations for tangible benefits, such as gifts, bonuses or meals, while one in five (20%) have seen increased interest in alcohol-free activities.

Preparing for new third-party harassment duties

From 30 October 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 will introduce employer liability for third-party harassment where an employer has failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent it. The Act will also strengthen the existing sexual harassment prevention duty by requiring employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

Against this legal backdrop, organisations are reviewing their approach to festive celebrations. More than half (52.6%) are currently reviewing their arrangements, while almost three in 10 (29.7%) have already completed a review. Fewer than one in five (17.7%) report that they have not reviewed their approach.

Relatively few organisations report having received concerns or complaints about third-party harassment at work-related social events in the past three years. Around one in 10 (9.7%) have received complaints, while 81.1% report none and a further 9.1% prefer not to say.

Despite the relatively low proportion of reported complaints, employers recognise the challenges associated with third-party harassment. More than eight in 10 organisations (84.6%) agree that concerns involving third parties can be more difficult to investigate than those involving employees. More than half (58.3%) also believe the risk of third-party harassment is greater at informal work-related social events than at formally organised events.

What challenges do employers anticipate?

When asked about the biggest challenges in preventing or responding to third-party harassment at workplace celebrations, employers highlighted five main areas of concern. Each challenge below links to relevant Brightmine guidance and resources for further information and practical support:

1. Investigating complaints (38.9%)
   • Establishing what happened, gathering evidence and securing cooperation from individuals outside the organisation emerged as the most common challenge.
2. Limited control over third parties (27.5%)
   • Employers highlighted difficulties influencing the behaviour of customers, contractors and venue staff, particularly where they have limited authority to enforce standards. As one respondent put it, “We have no jurisdiction over them.”
3. Communicating expectations and preventing incidents (23.4%)
   • Respondents highlighted the difficulty of setting clear expectations for third parties and putting preventive measures in place, including risk assessments, manager guidance and clear communications.
4. Reporting concerns (20.4%)
   • Employers raised concerns about employees being reluctant to report incidents, particularly where they fear repercussions or feel uncomfortable coming forward. One respondent identified the challenge simply as “If it isn’t reported.”
5. Alcohol and informal settings (13.2%)
   • Alcohol consumption and blurred professional boundaries were identified as factors that can make inappropriate behaviour more difficult to prevent or investigate.

Beyond these practical challenges, respondents’ comments reveal a broader tension between preserving the social benefits of festive celebrations and managing the responsibilities and risks associated with them:

How are employers responding?

Despite these challenges, many organisations are taking practical steps to prevent and respond to third-party harassment at festive work events. The most common measure is providing guidance to managers on responding to concerns or complaints involving third parties (74.3%). Around two-thirds also plan to remind employees how to report concerns involving third parties (68%) and to include third-party harassment risks in event planning or risk assessments (65.7%).

Chart 3: Measures to prevent or respond to third-party harassment at festive work events

As organisations prepare for the new duty, reviewing workplace celebrations and strengthening arrangements to prevent and respond to third-party harassment will be an important part of creating safe and inclusive events.

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