As COVID-19 concerns recede to probably their lowest point since the lockdowns of early 2020, more companies are ready to celebrate with in-person employee holiday gatherings this month.
This year, 56.9% of companies report they are having in-person holiday parties, up from 26.6% in 2021 and the 5.3% who held in-person parties in 2020, according to a survey conducted by the global business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Nearly 2% of businesses surveyed said they will hold virtual events this year, down from 7% in 2021 and 17% in 2020. Another 6% of companies reported they held in-person celebrations earlier this year, during warmer weather, in lieu of holding a traditional year-end party.
Even though more companies are partying this year, the numbers still lag the percentage of companies who held year-end celebrations pre-pandemic. In December of 2019, nearly 75% of companies held a party.
When it comes to spending, 37% of companies are maintaining their party budgets, while 6% reported they are spending less this year. Despite reported fears of an economic slowdown, 16% are spending more on employee celebrations this year.
