But Then Who Needs Cash When The Boss Shouts The Bubbly?
The Age
Monday December 18, 2000
Christmas came early at Kerry Packer's Channel Nine this year. Staff were invited to a flashy 2001 Space Odyssey theme party including a buffet meal, and were given lavish Christmas hampers.
Meanwhile, over at the ABC, staff received no gifts. Instead, they were asked to fork out $10 each to attend their own Christmas party at which they were required to buy their own drinks.
For employees fortunate enough to have a job at the big end of town, Christmas is a time to dress up and let their hair down. Christmas parties are booming, and superseding the cash bonus as the end-of-year reward.
Law firms, banks, big retailers, sporting teams and media magnates have splashed out on employees with elaborate parties in grand venues to thank them for their hard work during the year.
But most employers argue that flexible workplace agreements achieved through enterprise bargaining mean employees are rewarded throughout the year, and no longer need to wait for the festive season to receive a cash bonus.
Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry industrial relations spokesman David Gregory said cash bonuses were not as prevalent as they had been in the 1980s.
``There are other, more dynamic pay structures these days that reward performance along the way and therefore do not necessitate a one-off payment at Christmas time," he said.
Bonuses were more likely to be paid throughout the year and were linked to productivity and performance.
``Employers are more likely to throw a party at the end of the year instead," Mr Gregory said.
One law firm, Freehills, treated its staff to an Austin Powers theme party at Sydney's Fox studios. They were also given a Christmas hamper from the partners.
While lawyers were dressing up in velvet suits and ruffled shirts, rugby league players from the Melbourne Storm club donned costumes of fur and varying shades of green for their jungle theme party at Melbourne's Centra.
Giant retailer Myer hosted two big parties - a soiree that transformed some staff into Charlie's Angels with its ``famous people" theme; and a party at its Glen Iris head office, complete with door prizes and Christmas hymns from the in-house choir.
A Myer spokeswoman, Lisa Amor, said the Christmas parties boosted staff morale and were an opportunity for staff to meet others from different departments.
Myer does not pay end-of-year bonuses. ``Our pay structure works quite differently to that," Ms Amor said.
The festive spirit was slight at the Victoria Police Academy, with the academy cancelling its Christmas lunch to save money.
Bank staff celebrated Christmas with staff from their departments. A National Australia Bank spokesman said that with 22,000 staff it was difficult to have one big party. No staff were paid Christmas bonuses.
``This organisation pays bonuses related to work performance, not Christmas. We are a diverse employer with staff from different cultural backgrounds and Christmas doesn't mean much to some of our staff," the spokesman said. But staff would receive an extra day off in recognition of the bank's record $3.4 billion profit, he said.
BHP's staff social club paid for a family event at Hastings with a Santa Claus and jumping castles for the children. It did not pay Christmas bonuses.
Mr Gregory said VECCI had received a surprisingly large number of calls from its members this year wanting to know what their legal responsibilities were when hosting a Christmas party.
``I think there is an understanding now that the responsibility of the employer doesn't begin and end at the party, that you have to make sure people get to the party and home again," he said.
© 2000 The Age
