Why UK employees prefer cash over parties

The majority of workers in the UK would prefer to be given the money it costs for them to attend their office Christmas party rather than actually go. Younger staff were more likely to want to keep the cost of the work festive ‘do’, with just over two-thirds (65%) of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they would take the money.

Moreover, four-fifths (81%) of over-55s and a similar number of 45 to 55-year-olds (78%) claimed they would rather the party was cancelled and they got the money instead, according to research conducted on behalf of budgeting account provider thinkmoney.co.uk.

Despite these findings, respondents’ attitudes towards going to their office Christmas celebrations were still positive. One in five (19%) said it was “nice to be able to socialise and let their hair down with colleagues”, while 16% admitted they loved the annual party and looked forward to attending.

Again, it was the younger age group who got most excited about the office party. Nearly a third of 18 to 24-year-olds (29%) and 25 to 34-year-olds (31%) said they loved their work’s Christmas celebrations and looked forward to them, compared to just one in 20 (5.3%) of the over-55s.

There is always the Christmas grinch to contend with though, with one in 20 (4.8%) of those surveyed admitting that, although they attend their party every year, they do not really enjoy the celebrations. A slightly higher number (7.2%) claimed they thought of the occasion as “something to be endured”.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents did not go to their Christmas party at all and close to a third (30%) revealed their employer did not bother throwing any kind of festive bash.