Safer Summer Fun at Workplace Events

Now that summer celebrations are back in full swing, you may wish to hold an employee appreciation event at the workplace. While a company picnic or party can be a fun way to thank everyone for their commitment to the organization during the relaxed summer months, it’s important to preserve employee safety during these events. Here are some ways to do it.

Restrict the guest list. 

For many business owners, meeting the family members of employees is a milestone to look forward to. However, it’s important to set expectations regarding invited guests ahead of time so that your workers can plan accordingly. 

Restricting the guest list can be as simple as setting a fixed number of guests per employee, and encouraging them to bring immediate family or spouses/significant others only. Another way to keep tabs on who’s coming is to ask for an RSVP from each employee, and create a guest list for check-in. Your designated party planning committee can do this to take the heat off you or your management. The more managed your guest list is, the safer your event can be.

Restrict the flow of alcohol. 

Whether your company picnic is being held onsite or off, restricting alcohol consumption is critical to enjoying a safer event. Intoxicated guests are more than a security threat; they can also open the door to serious legal liabilities. There are many ways to restrict alcohol consumption at your company event, including: 

• Skipping the self-service liquor table and hiring a bartender instead.
• Issuing a specific number of drink tickets (i.e. one or two per person). 
• Asking a designated safety officer to watch for guests sneaking in alcohol.  

Providing unrestricted alcohol is a bad idea for any company-sanctioned event. It’s important to put boundaries on the flow of alcohol at your company picnic or party.

Restrict access to your facility. 

Opening up a company party to the entire building is a bad idea, especially when employees are bringing guests.

If the event is on your property, it’s wise to hold it in one designated area onsite. If you’re concerned that guests could wander outside designated party areas, consider adding on these security reinforcements: 

• Cameras monitoring the entries to restricted areas. These can be useful year-round, not just for company social gatherings. 
• Access control guarding workrooms. Your building has workrooms that are not conducive to parties. Guarding them with electronic access control preserves their integrity. 
• Managed, proactive monitoring service. There’s nothing worse than finding out about a security breach, but missing it due to a recording failure. With our managed proactive monitoring service, you can ensure any problem with your recorder or cameras is fixed immediately. That way, you won’t miss out on capturing any suspicious activity.