Media, Sales and Marketing Workers Want to Celebrate but 9 in 10 of all workers will take the cash instead
Appreciate, home of Love2shop, the UK’s best-known rewards product, has published research today that shows that those working in marketing are one of the most likely to still want a company Christmas party this year.
Despite the likelihood of a UK-wide lockdown due to Covid-19, YouGov research designed to investigate British employees’ attitudes to company parties this year revealed 30% of employees in the marketing, sales and media sector want their company to hold some sort of office Christmas party this year, compared to a national average of 24%.
With more of the country going into tier 2 and 3 lockdown, the research conducted among 1,000 British employees by YouGov revealed that 46% of British employees don’t want a company Christmas party at all this year, compared to 24% who do want one.
Across sectors, it revealed that marketers are one of the most keen to party (30%), just behind the legal sector at 34%.
Looking at the attitudes of the British workforce at large, nine in 10 employees (88%) would prefer a £50 gift from their company rather than a Christmas party. The HMRC Trivial Benefit allowance enables such a £50 gift to employees to be made tax free, allowing companies to save £33.68 per basic tax-paying employee (£48.10 for higher rate taxpayers).1
However, marketing is the profession who most prefers to party, with 19% choosing a party over a £50 gift, compared to 11% of all workers preferring the party option.
Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at Appreciate Group, said: “Clearly Covid-19 has changed our attitudes to Christmas parties this year but in marketing, the desire to get together and celebrate is still strong. We imagine there will be a lot of virtual, Covid-safe Zoom Christmas parties come December, with people letting their hair down in different ways.
Creighton adds: “Even though media types proved to be the party animals from the poll, across all sectors, nine in 10 said they would prefer a £50 gift instead. The HMRC Trivial Benefit allowance enables such a £50 tax free gift to employees to be made tax free. In the current Covid environment, there is an opportunity for employers to spread a little festive joy… and enjoy a tax benefit: so this could be a win-win for both bosses and workers.”
