- 48% professionals arenât planning on attending their workâs Christmas party this year
- Almost two fifths state it being âtoo much effortâ this year
- 31% are not attending because of the âcost associatedâ with going
- 59% of workplaces are having a downsized celebrations or none-at-all
- Over a quarter planning to ânot drink at allâ at their office celebrations

48% of professionals in the UK and Ireland are planning on missing their workâs Christmas party this year â whilst 20% are going just to âshow their faceâ.
A new poll from Walters People has shown that many professionals in the UK and Ireland are being deterred from the idea of a workplace Christmas party this year â with less time in the office, cost-of-living, and economic uncertainty all playing a role in employees decision making.
Whatâs changed?
When asked about the reason behind them not wanting to attend their work Christmas party â the two most common responses from professionals were that it is âtoo much effort this yearâ (37%), and the personal costs associated with attending (33%).
Janine Blacksley, Director of Walters People UK comments: âThe Christmas or end-of-year party has always been an important diary entry in professionals calendar â in particular in the white-collar world where the end of the year is typically a period where the company is able to slow-down or shut for a few days.
âThis year it feels there has been a tide-change on the end of year Christmas party being a festive calendar staple. Our poll results show that the main deterrents echo a fatigue in professionals to make the effort or foot the costs associated with attending their office party this Christmas â theyâd rather spend on their own personal Christmas plans.â
A mixed bag for many
A further quarter stated another primary deterrent for attending their Christmas work party is that their employer is spending less on the actual event. In fact, when asked if their employer was holding a Christmas party this year â 59% stated they were either having smaller celebrations or none at all due to cost cuts.
Contrastingly, less than a third (32%) of professionals stated their workplace Christmas party was going to be a âbig oneâ this year.

Janine comments:Â â2023 has been a mixed bag for many companies, so it isnât surprising that festive celebrations this year will be very dependent on industry and employer. Whilst the majority are having pared down celebrations or none at all â a percentage are planning to push the boat out.
âWhilst typically more money being spent often signifies that a company is doing well from a profit perspective, we are increasingly seeing organisations invest in their workplace culture â including Christmas parties â as an attraction and retention tactic.â
But what do professionals want this Christmas?
When asked what sort of Christmas party theyâd prefer â 38% of professionals opted for âan open bar, party, Santa hats galoreâ â whilst an almost equal amount (32%) stated that âa simple lunch would suffice’. A further fifth wanted a relaxed affair, with less focus on alcohol.
Many keeping this festive period dry
The theme of not drinking seems to be a preoccupation for many professionals this year â with almost double the amount (39%) of professionals planning to âonly stick to one or two festive tipplesâ at their office celebrations, compared to just a fifth who are planning to go âall outâ (22%). Whereas, a further 31% are planning to âstay entirely tee-total.â
Whilst Gen-Z seem to leading the charge in lessening the dependence of alcohol in workplace socialising, and more generally â according to Drinkaware UK, 86% of employees in the private sector are still more likely to say there is an âexpectationâ to drink at employer events than those who work in the public sector.

Janine comments:Â âOur polls show a real change in attitudes towards how work Christmas parties could be carried out going forward â and potentially a permanent shift in workplace culture where there is more focus on oneself rather than team building, and a bigger lens on wellbeing and balance rather than socialising.
âTime will tell – on whether this is a more fleeting change in light of what has been a globally economically difficult year.â