No one wants to be perceived as a Scrooge so there are truly a multitude of reasons to throw a holiday party of thanks for either the employees or the customers. However, good intentions do come with some risk, especially if alcohol is part of the holiday fun.

Problems run from too much to drink and the potential for poor behavior at the actual event to even worse, driving home afterwards while under the influence of alcohol. In today’s society, setting a professional tone for any party has become another responsibility of the small business owner if he/she seeks to throw such a holiday gathering. Issues at the party or in a vehicle later can expose a business to liability risks.

Proper tone setting includes the willingness to step in and tell a specific person that they’ve had too much to drink when such behavior occurs or even checking on guest who may be underage. For more on the potential issues of throwing a holiday gathering, see:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/nov/20/
small_talk_smallbusiness_owners_need_beware_holida/business