The Christmas Grinch has arrived. Or at least that's the feeling in some Australian workplaces, where bosses have warned staff against drinking too much and even exchanging presents, reports say.
For the holiday season, employers have issued staff with written instructions on how to behave at end-of-year functions. These instructions also include what to do if someone drinks too much Christmas cheer, the crikey.com.au news Web site said.
The Web site has been publishing letters sent in by readers annoyed at notices from human resources departments and executives on how to celebrate Christmas. According to one letter published in part on the site, one company has even tried to ban gift giving.
PHOTO: AFP
"After discussions between the three presidents, it has been agreed that there will be no expectation of the exchange of presents," it said.
Another reportedly warned staff against drinking any alcohol before the lunch time work event.
"Please also note that it is not acceptable to begin drinking before we are seated at the cafe on Friday," it said.
"If anyone is suspected of having consumed alcohol before the function, they will be told to leave the function and take unpaid leave for the remainder of the day."
Paul Atkins of the Australian National University's School of Management, Marketing and International Business said work Christmas parties provided a potential clash.
While it was reasonable to expect people to be sober at work, treating them like children by issuing notices about behavior could lead to resentment, he said.
Companies' human resources departments should be careful about treating staff like "cogs in a machine," he said.
"They are probably afraid of someone vomiting on the photocopier or somebody getting hurt," he added. (AFP)
耶誕破壞鬼來了，或者至少可以說這種氣氛瀰漫在澳洲一些工作場所中。報導指出，有主管告誡員工不能飲酒過量，甚至交換禮物。
澳洲新聞網站crikey.com.au報導，針對今年耶誕假期，有些雇主發布書面公告指導員工年終派對上該有的舉止，其中還包括該如何應付喝太多耶誕美酒的同仁。
該網站陸續刊登讀者寄來的投書，抱怨公司人資部門和管理階層公布的「如何慶祝耶誕節」公告。該網站一封讀者投書內容表示，有家公司甚至想禁止互送禮物。
「三位總裁討論後同意，今年將不會交換禮物，」信中提到。
據報導，另外有公司告誡員工在公司的午餐派對前應滴酒不沾。
「也請注意，在週五派對正式開始前都禁止飲酒，」投書寫道。
「任何人若疑似在派對前飲酒，將會被請出派對，下半個工作天也不給薪。」
澳洲國立大學管理、行銷暨國際企業學院的保羅．亞特金說，公司的耶誕派對有可能引發衝突。
他表示，工作時理應保持清醒，但公司把員工當作小孩一樣，發布限定行為的公告，可能會引發不滿。
他認為，公司人資部門應避免以管理「大機器裡的小螺絲釘」的態度對待員工。
「他們可能只是擔心有人會吐在影印機上或受傷而已，」他補充說道。
（法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）
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