After the Party Ends: Guidance for handling unwanted sexual behaviours at the Christmas party
The company end of year “Christmas” party is supposed to be a time for celebration and connection; a chance for colleagues to unwind and enjoy each other’s company outside the pressures of daily work. Sounds idyllic. Nowadays, though, the work Christmas party has become synonymous with drunken disorder and unwanted sexual conduct in many organisations. And for HR leaders, that means the festive season often brings a spike in reports of unwanted sexual behaviours.
In many ways, investigating reports of sexual harm doesn’t change because it’s Christmas. But it’s fair to say that the context often makes it far more complicated. During holiday gatherings, when employees are in a more relaxed and celebratory state after what has been for many companies a challenging year, the potential for harm and organisational pressure seems to rise. These incidents have become so normalised at festive events that there can be added pressure, scrutiny, and emotion surrounding any subsequent investigation.
It’s likely too late for you to consider radical reframes of your company’s event this year which might make it safer going forward (alcohol-free, daytime, on site etc.). So, instead I’m sharing with you a couple of parts of the conversation I have most often with leaders in January. Because how you respond in those first hours and days matters. Not just for the individuals involved, but for the trust, safety, and culture of your entire organisation. Employees, especially vulnerable ones, are watching closely: Will you take concerns seriously? Do you act with care and consistency? Do you uphold your values even when it feels uncomfortable? When everyone’s tired? …or do you just shrug it off as an inevitable risk of having work parties?
A transparent, people-centred, timely and fair approach isn’t simply ‘best practice’, then – it’s a signal of what your organisation stands for all year round. Bearing that in mind, here are some reminders or reframes for you to bookmark:
How sure are you that your processes are trauma-informed in practice not just on paper?
It’s important that you respect the autonomy and agency of the person who has reported harm throughout. Don’t tell anyone in the organisation who doesn’t absolutely need to know, without their consent (e.g. their line manager, or someone who is managing a project they’re currently on).
When considering putting proportionate interim measures in place, we’re focusing on the impact on the vulnerable person(s), rather than any intent at this stage. You should of course communicate that any measures are not necessarily permanent or going to be used as evidence of ‘guilt’ in the investigation process, for everyone’s sake. Keep communication grounded (but not vague), calm and consistent. Everyone involved (including any witnesses, where relevant) should get signposting towards help including but not limited to your EAP, MHFAs, and importantly to relevant local/national helplines.
Being trauma-informed is a practice not a theory
At the end of the investigation, will people say that it felt like a maze to navigate?
Providing clear information about the investigation process, expected timelines, and who will be involved is the easiest win. Opacity breeds mistrust and speculation. You can work backwards with the people involved – reporting and reported person(s), witness(es) – in terms of potential outcomes of the investigation, how many meetings they’re likely to have and what the purposes of those meetings will be. Providing clarity and welcoming anyone involved to bring a supportive person with them to these conversations is important.
I really recommend that you take time to outline early that an outcome of not founded doesn’t mean malicious. In sexual misconduct cases, this is paramount given how prevalent the myth around false reports is. Even if the outcome isn’t a positive one for the reporting person(s), they shouldn’t feel like the investigation process retraumatised them or made it worse.
It’s always worth reminding people that they can withdraw their report at any time, and they don’t have to go through with the investigation – but be careful that it doesn’t sound like you’re coercing them to rescind the report because you’re busy or because it’s Christmas.
Be transparent from the outset
Does your policy allow for flexibility at high intensity times of the year?
Start the investigation promptly if you’re able to: secure evidence (which in 2025/2026 includes photos, screenshots and any online evidence like apologies sent via text or Slack), schedule interviews, and set realistic timelines for your organisation and the time of year. If you’ve got zero time before everyone is on mandatory break, then say that. Show awareness that it’s a high stress period of the year for them too and recognise the impact of this being unresolved over the break (if that’s the case). Timeliness shows seriousness and reduces stress for all parties. Nobody wants to be part of an investigation that should have been completed weeks or months ago. At the same time, no-one wants to be part of a botch investigation because it happened at the wrong time of the year.
Act quickly, without rushing
Even if they don’t like the outcome, will they say the investigation was done fairly?
Ensure the internal investigator is a good person to do it – they should be trained in investigations, preferably in ones that involve sexual harm, and they shouldn’t be a witness or a line manager of anyone involved. When we’re under the quash at high intensity periods, best practice can fly out the window. It’s important that each party is treated with the same care. The investigator should feel able to apply policies consistently (so they should understand them!) and avoid hierarchy or social dynamics to dictate the outcome.
If you’ve got checklists and processes for investigating, this is where they come into their own. If you don’t, put that on the to do list for January 2026.
Maintain fairness as your foundation
If everyone seems to know about it, what signal does it send when leadership say nothing about it?
So many investigations of sexual harm in the workplace do not involve witnesses. Your Christmas party is likely to be one of the only times where there might be witnesses, or where a colleague is told almost immediately after it happens. If this was witnessed or discussed publicly at the Christmas party, you’ve got a secondary issue to manage here. And this becomes an important opportunity to show awareness that it is likely that other members of your team will have experienced unwanted sexual behaviours – that this is not an abstract issue.
Employees notice how leaders respond to harm. This is where your awareness of whether you’ve got a gossip culture comes into its own. How you handle a situation that everyone knows about is objectively more difficult than handling one that is kept confidential. Share only what is necessary (which is usually very little if there are no witnesses or if you don’t have a “everyone knows everything about everyone” culture) but do so in a way that reinforces values like safety, accountability, and respect.
Under these circumstances especially, a well-handled investigation becomes a culture signal, and ultimately a prevention method.
Communicate thoughtfully with the wider organisation or team
About the Author
Dr Enya Doyle (The Harassment Doctor™) is a leading consultant on harassment prevention and workplace culture. Since completing her PhD in 2020, she has partnered with world-renowned brands to dismantle systemic barriers and build workplaces where people are safe, supported, and able to thrive.
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