It’s the festive season-where workplace chaos meets Christmas carols and a dash of holiday stress.
While you’re decking the halls, don’t forget to prioritise safety and wellbeing, because nothing kills the vibe faster than burnout or a workplace incident.
Here’s some tips to ensure everyone celebrates the end of the year with joy, not a trip to the emergency department.
1. Plan Like a Christmas elf on a deadline
The “silly season” is named that for a reason: everything goes bonkers, social events clash, and your to-do list starts looking like the Bunnings Warehouse catalogue. Planning isn’t just helpful—it’s the secret to thriving amidst the festive chaos. Think like the foreman at Santa’s workshop: map out your schedule, allocate resources wisely, and leave room for a festive buffer.
Without a plan, you’ll be the elf frantically trying to assemble the new office BBQ at 4:55pm with a spanner that doesn’t fit while the whole office is watching famished —and that’s nobody’s idea of festive cheer.
2. Prioritise like Rudolph on foggy Christmas eve
Rudolph didn’t guide Santa’s sleigh by winging it—he had priorities. As a leader, balance what’s urgent with your team’s capabilities. Is it really necessary to finish all those tasks before the break? Probably not. Focus on what matters, and make sure the team isn’t running on fumes.
A tired team is like a half-lit string of fairy lights—flickering under pressure, barely hanging on and not shining as brightly as they should.
3. Safety first: PPE Is your Superhero shield
Let’s face it—PPE is your workplace superhero gear, minus the spandex undies on the outside (thankfully). Every piece of equipment is like something straight out of the Marvel universe. That hard hat? Your Thor’s helmet, protecting you from whatever comes crashing down. Those gloves? Basically Iron Man’s gauntlets, giving you the power to handle the tough stuff without a scratch.
Skipping PPE is like showing up to an Avengers mission unprepared—no web-shooters, no vibranium suit, no chance. Would Captain America ever say, “Forget the shield today”? Or Black Panther skip his vibranium suit because it’s “a little tight”? Absolutely not.
Suit up, because PPE might not give you superpowers, but it’ll keep you safe—and that’s heroic enough.
4. Take your time: you’re not delivering presents to 7 billion people
If Santa can take one full night to deliver presents worldwide, you can take an extra five minutes to complete tasks safely. Rushing leads to mistakes, and mistakes in November and December tend to involve injuries, paperwork, muck-ups and awkward conversations with HR. Remember – quality over speed.
5. Ask for help: Even Santa has a whole workshop
There’s no shame in asking for help. Santa doesn’t build all those toys solo, so why should you take on everything yourself? Whether it’s delegating tasks or just asking for advice, a little teamwork can turn a potential safety hazard into a smooth operation. Plus, working together boosts morale and might even make Sharon from accounts crack a smile.
6. Party responsibly: channel your inner Santa, not your inner Grinch
Office Christmas parties: the ultimate test of balancing fun, professionalism and WHS obligations.
Not to be a party pooper, but organising a workplace Christmas party requires compliance with Section 19 of the WHS Act 2011, which outlines the duty of care for employers to ensure the safety of employees and others. This includes taking reasonable steps to address safety, hazards at the venue, and ensuring the environment is free from risks, while also providing essential facilities such as clean bathrooms, drinking water, and seating. Employers should clearly communicate behavioural expectations, including responsible alcohol consumption and event timings, and ensure supervisors monitor safety throughout the event.
So keep the drinks moderate, the jokes PG, and the dance moves injury-free. Most importantly, ensure everyone has a safe way home—Uber rides beat finding a team member asleep under the photocopier.
Wrapping it all up (pun intended)
Workplace safety during the festive season doesn’t have to be a buzzkill. With a bit of planning, prioritising, and sticking to the rules, you can ensure the holiday period is merry, bright, and injury-free. Because nothing says “Happy Holidays” like everyone making it through to January in one piece.
Now go on, get back to work—and make sure to hang that tinsel safely.
