Contrary to the greeting card industry the time leading up to Christmas is not one of peace, tranquillity and goodwill to all men. In my experience the last frantic run up to Christmas Day is the most likely time for trouble to take place in the work place (and any family lawyer will tell you in the home).
For what it is worth then here is the Mary-Jane Thomas guide to surviving the next six weeks:
Employers - When clients make unreasonable demands of you do not in turn place those unreasonable demands on your staff without accepting that the clients are being unreasonable. In other words at this time of the year everybody wants things done by Christmas. The fact that they send you a chair to be re-upholstered that has been sitting in their garage for eight months and want it so that Granny can sit on it at Christmas dinner does not mean that you should not complete the job. Just don’t get annoyed at your staff when they roll their eyes.
Employees - When your boss places unreasonable demands on you – realise that it is only because s/he is getting unreasonable demands placed on her by someone else and try not to roll your eyes when they can see it ( I also find loud exhaling of breath irritating)
If you are feeling unhappy at work – do not go to the Christmas do and drink a lot of alcohol. Better still- do not go to the Christmas do at all You are far better to stay away than go and just make everybody miserable by pointing out how grotty your employer is. If you still feel after Christmas that the employer is really bad – then resign and get a new job.
If you do go to the Christmas work do – remember that actions at a work do can lead to relationship break downs. If you are an employer do not take the opportunity after four glasses of cheap bubbly to launch into a performance review of the woman in accounts who has been irritating you all year. If you are an employee similarly do not take the opportunity to point out to your employer that you are underpaid – undervalued and/or suffering from work place stress.
I love this time of year - NOT
This article originally appeared in the Southland Times Work To Rule column. Mary-Jane Thomas is head of Preston Russell's employment law team. Contact her by clicking here
