Anonymous wrote:The place I used to work did not allow +1 and it wasn’t a budget thing. Apparently it was so people could get drunk and fool around with other people.

Does this really happen? I have been to many holiday parties and I have never seen (including drunk men) doing anything inappropriate with female staff. In fact it's the only place where I have seen drunk men 100% sober when it comes to being inappropriate with female colleagues.

I don’t like company events with plus ones invited. In my mind it’s like bringing your spouse to your high school reunion. No one wants to talk to your spouse and she or he doesn’t know anyone. And if your employees have young kids they have to get a babysitter. My company just started opening its weeknight holiday party up to spouses and almost no one brings a spouse.

Normally the plus one guest is the spouse or fiance. Normally young people choose not to bring their boyfriend or girlfriend in my small company.

We had a workday lunch this year and people enjoyed it. It was an escape from the workday only with employees rather than an evening dinner that eats into employees’ free time

My husband and I both work at small consulting firms and both do holiday dinners with a +1. I think it is the right thing to do. If a spouse finds it boring, they don’t have to come. But if you do t want to invite a +1, I’d say make it a workday lunch instead.