Tips for employers organising work social events

CIPD HR-inform. Croner.

As we approach the festive season, employers need to make sure everything runs smoothly at work-related social events to avoid any HR hiccups, explains Stacie Cheadle, technical writer at Croner.

A Christmas party, team dinner, awards evening, client reception or informal drinks may take place outside normal working hours and away from the workplace, but that does not necessarily take it outside the employer’s responsibility, particularly when it comes to preventing sexual harassment at work.

Since October 2024, employers have had a positive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. From 30 October 2026, that duty becomes a duty to take all reasonable steps.

This change, introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025, raises the expected standard. Employers should not assume that having a policy and providing occasional training will be enough to satisfy this duty. They must consider what further reasonable measures are needed in the light of their organisation, workforce and their particular risks.

The law also now covers harassment by third parties. This may include customers, clients, suppliers, contractors, venue staff, entertainers, guests or members of the public.

The new protection is wider than sexual harassment; it can apply to harassment connected with any protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, such as race, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation or age.

An employer may be liable where a third party harasses an employee in the course of their employment and the employer failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent it.

The statutory changes apply in England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has a separate legal framework.

Practical steps for employers

Where an event is organised, funded, encouraged or attended by the employer, or employees have come together purely because of their connection with the workplace, it is likely to have sufficient connection with work to extend the employer’s liability to what takes place.

The employer’s responsibilities can therefore continue at the venue, during travel connected with the event and, in some circumstances, during related after-event activities.

• Carry out a specific risk assessment. Consider the venue, timing, alcohol, isolated areas, transport, accommodation, power differences, previous concerns and the likely involvement of third parties. Speak to workers when identifying risks.

• Set clear expectations before the event. Remind employees that workplace standards and the harassment, and sexual harassment, policy apply at the event. Explain that unwanted sexual comments, touching, jokes, images and behaviour relating to protected characteristics will not be accepted.

• Train managers and event organisers. They should know how to recognise concerning behaviour, intervene safely, support someone who raises a concern and escalate matters promptly. Training should be based on behaviour, not simply legal definitions.

• Control alcohol-related risks. Do not make excessive alcohol the focus of the event. Provide attractive non-alcoholic options, food and water, and consider limits on employer-funded drinks.

• Provide visible support. Identify named managers or trained contacts who can be approached during the event. Make reporting routes clear and offer a confidential way to raise concerns afterwards.

• Manage third parties actively. Use contracts and event instructions to set behaviour standards for venues, entertainers, suppliers and guests. Make clear that unacceptable behaviour may result in removal from the event, termination of the relationship or refusal of future work.

• Plan the response. Decide in advance who will investigate, how evidence will be preserved and how the organisation will protect and support anyone affected.

• Keep records. Record the risk assessment, decisions, training, communications, complaints, action taken and any reasons for deciding that a further step was not reasonable.

Employers should treat social events as part of the working environment, not as a legal blind spot. As of 30 October 2026, the key question is whether the organisation can demonstrate that it identified the risks and took every reasonable preventative measure open to it, as doing otherwise would leave it vulnerable to successful claims.

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