What the annual dinner tells you about the company’s future
Updated: Sep 25, 2019
Employers who are trying to enhance staff’s morale might want to avoid these three ugly situations if they want staff to be confident about the company’s prospects.
1. Location
The company is certainly not doing well if it is hosting the annual dinner at some dingy restaurant. Nobody would disagree with spending wisely on company functions, but when management is being this stingy, business is certainly not booming .
2. The lucky draw prizes
While most bosses are not generous enough to give out iphone 7 during annual dinners, the prizes do provide insights into the employer’s attitude towards staff. A cheapskate boss would give away items like a microwave oven as the top prize and prepare less than 100 gifts even when he employs hundreds of staff.
The worse gifts are unsold company products. Having so many unsold products is a sign that the company is a sinking ship, so get ready to jump.
3. The games played on the night
Earlier this year, Tencent had to issue an apology for getting staff to participate in a sexiest game at the company’s annual dinner party.
Nobody wants to work for an employer that builds happiness on someone else’s pain. Games that are in poor taste indicate the company’s culture is toxic.
Some may think that there is no point in complaining. After all, they were fed a free meal and for some people, it is better to have a disappointing party than not have one at all.
But if the company management doesn’t even bother to invest in a proper party for employees once a year, how much do they really care?