Does your company invite +1's to the holiday dinner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course we do. Unless it is something right after work by the office or at lunch why not a plus one.

My holiday party is at a fancy hotel, suits, dinner open bar, dancing, gift baskets. on a Saturday night usually around 8pm

Kinda weird not to invite a guest

That's more than a holiday dinner. That's a full night out lavish party night out. Holiday work dinner for me is a 5:30 pm dinner at a restaurant near the office, no spouses. Everyone leaves by 7:30 pm.

How does that show appreciation to the actual people who make it all happen? My old firm sent gift baskets, Omaha steaks, gift cards etc. each year to the spouses directly. They are ones who cover while we work late. Men or women Spouses were inviged to Holiday party. Female spouses got Flowers when they gave birth. At Holiday party we even one year sent Limos to pick up and drop off spouses. Another company at offsites whole family invited, we had family picnics, take you take your kids to work day, family baseball outings, even one place a family holiday party bring the kids.

The workers get paychecks. The family and kids are one who work unpaid. Heck we let Moms and Dads come and one year a 24 year old single girl we recognized her friend who came who watches her dog on business trips and when she works late. We invited her to party and sent her a gift basket.

That seems very 1950s. Not sure where you work, but I would say 1/3 of my coworkers are unmarried/don’t have a partner and maybe 1/2 don’t have kids. Maybe your firm poops gold bricks, but I wouldn’t waste a company budget line item on someone’s dog sitter.

+1. My spouse doesn’t make my work life “happen.” I do.

[Anonymous]

We have a married couple who work at our company and they each being a +1 (their parents). I don’t think anyone has the heart to tell them that’s not how it works…

[Anonymous]

I hate the +1 at a business function. I really resent getting stuck speaking with my coworkers spouses. Do you employees a favor and keep it just employees and do it on a week night so they get to keep their weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My company used to, and then one year they sent out a survey to all employees.

Would you rather:
1) team lunch with coworkers
2) company wide dinner event with plus ones
3) $100 gift card but no holiday event.

Choice 3 was the favorite by HUGE margins. With a few people picking 1. 2 was the least favorite.

We send out $100 gift cards in a holiday card now instead of

Then clearly the party sucked. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course we do. Unless it is something right after work by the office or at lunch why not a plus one.

My holiday party is at a fancy hotel, suits, dinner open bar, dancing, gift baskets. on a Saturday night usually around 8pm

Kinda weird not to invite a guest

That's more than a holiday dinner. That's a full night out lavish party night out. Holiday work dinner for me is a 5:30 pm dinner at a restaurant near the office, no spouses. Everyone leaves by 7:30 pm.

How does that show appreciation to the actual people who make it all happen? My old firm sent gift baskets, Omaha steaks, gift cards etc. each year to the spouses directly. They are ones who cover while we work late. Men or women Spouses were inviged to Holiday party. Female spouses got Flowers when they gave birth. At Holiday party we even one year sent Limos to pick up and drop off spouses. Another company at offsites whole family invited, we had family picnics, take you take your kids to work day, family baseball outings, even one place a family holiday party bring the kids.

The workers get paychecks. The family and kids are one who work unpaid. Heck we let Moms and Dads come and one year a 24 year old single girl we recognized her friend who came who watches her dog on business trips and when she works late. We invited her to party and sent her a gift basket.

That seems very 1950s. Not sure where you work, but I would say 1/3 of my coworkers are unmarried/don’t have a partner and maybe 1/2 don’t have kids. Maybe your firm poops gold bricks, but I wouldn’t waste a company budget line item on someone’s dog sitter.

We all worked 50-60 hour weeks and I travel a lot and take clients out. I often get home at 11 pm and back out the door by 645 am. And business trips all the time. Who do you think made it happen when I had little kids at home? Single, married, gay, living at home it ain’t the workers making it happen

[Anonymous]

Come work for the federal government. No such problems bc there are no holiday related events.

[Anonymous]

Our smallish company does invite spouses (everyone is married) to the dinner.

[Anonymous]

We were recently making a decision about this at work. We haven’t always invited +1 but did this year - but it meant we chose a less pricy restaurant.

I think it’s a nice gesture and rare opportunity for significant others to meet the people their partner talks about all the time (and the other way too for coworkers). I’d figure out what your budget is for the party and then decide if you can make it work.

[Anonymous]

It’s bad enough that I have to spend time with these people when I’m paid to do it, and now I’m coerced to go when I could be spending time with my family?

I love my wife too much to drag her along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My company also gives cash in a drawing of the plus1s. Every plus 1 wins between $20 and $500.

Literally paying spouses to attend 🤣🤣🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course we do. Unless it is something right after work by the office or at lunch why not a plus one.

My holiday party is at a fancy hotel, suits, dinner open bar, dancing, gift baskets. on a Saturday night usually around 8pm

Kinda weird not to invite a guest

That's more than a holiday dinner. That's a full night out lavish party night out. Holiday work dinner for me is a 5:30 pm dinner at a restaurant near the office, no spouses. Everyone leaves by 7:30 pm.

How does that show appreciation to the actual people who make it all happen? My old firm sent gift baskets, Omaha steaks, gift cards etc. each year to the spouses directly. They are ones who cover while we work late. Men or women Spouses were inviged to Holiday party. Female spouses got Flowers when they gave birth. At Holiday party we even one year sent Limos to pick up and drop off spouses. Another company at offsites whole family invited, we had family picnics, take you take your kids to work day, family baseball outings, even one place a family holiday party bring the kids.

The workers get paychecks. The family and kids are one who work unpaid. Heck we let Moms and Dads come and one year a 24 year old single girl we recognized her friend who came who watches her dog on business trips and when she works late. We invited her to party and sent her a gift basket.

That seems very 1950s. Not sure where you work, but I would say 1/3 of my coworkers are unmarried/don’t have a partner and maybe 1/2 don’t have kids. Maybe your firm poops gold bricks, but I wouldn’t waste a company budget line item on someone’s dog sitter.

We all worked 50-60 hour weeks and I travel a lot and take clients out. I often get home at 11 pm and back out the door by 645 am. And business trips all the time. Who do you think made it happen when I had little kids at home? Single, married, gay, living at home it ain’t the workers making it happen

Maybe the greater gift would be better work-life balance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course we do. Unless it is something right after work by the office or at lunch why not a plus one.

My holiday party is at a fancy hotel, suits, dinner open bar, dancing, gift baskets. on a Saturday night usually around 8pm

Kinda weird not to invite a guest

That's more than a holiday dinner. That's a full night out lavish party night out. Holiday work dinner for me is a 5:30 pm dinner at a restaurant near the office, no spouses. Everyone leaves by 7:30 pm.

How does that show appreciation to the actual people who make it all happen? My old firm sent gift baskets, Omaha steaks, gift cards etc. each year to the spouses directly. They are ones who cover while we work late. Men or women Spouses were inviged to Holiday party. Female spouses got Flowers when they gave birth. At Holiday party we even one year sent Limos to pick up and drop off spouses. Another company at offsites whole family invited, we had family picnics, take you take your kids to work day, family baseball outings, even one place a family holiday party bring the kids.

The workers get paychecks. The family and kids are one who work unpaid. Heck we let Moms and Dads come and one year a 24 year old single girl we recognized her friend who came who watches her dog on business trips and when she works late. We invited her to party and sent her a gift basket.

That seems very 1950s. Not sure where you work, but I would say 1/3 of my coworkers are unmarried/don’t have a partner and maybe 1/2 don’t have kids. Maybe your firm poops gold bricks, but I wouldn’t waste a company budget line item on someone’s dog sitter.

We all worked 50-60 hour weeks and I travel a lot and take clients out. I often get home at 11 pm and back out the door by 645 am. And business trips all the time. Who do you think made it happen when I had little kids at home? Single, married, gay, living at home it ain’t the workers making it happen

Maybe the greater gift would be better work-life balance?

Not really my job paid over double prior easy job which allowed my wife to stay home with kids.

[Anonymous]

As the plus 1 spouse at my husband’s office holiday party on a Friday night, please don’t. Plan a lunch during work hours. Don’t set the expectation that the employees’ partners have to attend and get sitters, miss other holiday parties, etc. I hate this obligation and I really have to attend or it looks bad for my spouse.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had an employer with a holiday party in 20 years. The working world was so different back in the olden days.

[Anonymous]

OP, I hear you. As a spouse, here is my advice ...

- Celebrate the "Holiday Cheer" during the work day. Make it a holiday lunch, pause your business and use 1/2 of the work day to take the office out for lunch or get it catered. It does not need to be fancy and you do not need to invite the spouse. I am sure, most of the SOs will not mind. Also, your employees can attend in their regular office attire, no need to dress up in formals for a holiday party.

- It will save our household - the cost of babysitter, evening formal clothes and accessories, drycleaner, hair color and cut, gas, parking etc.

- I depend on my DH to come home and help me with childcare, petcare, housecare. So, if he has to go solo to attend corporate dinner, I will not be very happy.

- A small digital amazon gift-card to the wife or family will be appreciated, but not necessary.

Another option - Gift card and a day-off.