December is suppose to the most wonderful time of the year with festive lights, religious holidays, anticipation of the New Year, and expressing thanks to those we work with through year end company gatherings.

This year as we demand more from employees, the gratitude we show for hard work and employee loyalty is especially important.

You, the CEO, company president or business owner are responsible for all the people invited to your company party.  If you are serving alcohol, please insure and take extra precautions that none of your employees, business associates or other invited guests indulge too much in alcoholic beverages.  If someone has had too much to drink, do the right thing, do not let them drive home.  Send them home in a cab or have someone drive them to their destination.  Even if someone insists they are capable of driving, use common sense and good judgment.  Protect them and as well as yourself by seeing they get home safely.  If one of your employees or guests leaves your party intoxicated and gets into an accident you could be held liable.  Even much worse, you could end up losing a friend, let alone a great employee. 

So celebrate the business year with those you work with.  Enjoy all the good food and merriment.  And look out for your employees, associates and friends like you would hope they would look out for you.  Of course, this word of caution about drinking and driving applies any time of the year, not just at the holidays.  And once Christmas is past don’t forget that the same wisdom applies on New Year’s Eve. 

Happy holidays to all!