Deutsche Börse organized a Christmas market for employees in the company’s own car park. The majority of companies have canceled Christmas parties, however, shows a Handelsblatt survey.
(Photo: Source: André Druschel Photodesign)
Dusseldorf Deutsche Börse employees have seen how Christmassy a parking deck can be. At the end of November, the trading center operator converted two floors of its parking garage at its headquarters in Eschborn into a Christmas market. A maximum of 80 employees were allowed to enjoy themselves there for two and a half hours with mulled wine, tarte flambée and ice stock sport. The feedback was “consistently positive,” says the company.
Companies holding a company Christmas party is the exception in the midst of the fourth wave of pandemics. Only three of the 40 DAX companies want to celebrate or have already done so, 14 companies have canceled their events. Even with most family businesses, there is no celebration, as a Handelsblatt survey shows.
The refusals hit the catering industry at its busiest time. December is actually the best month for the industry. “Because of the infection situation and the stricter access rules, there is a hail of cancellations of events and Christmas parties,” says Guido Zöllick, President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. In a survey by the association, 90 percent of hoteliers and restaurateurs reported cancellations as early as mid-November.
With the worsening of the situation, the number of rejections has also increased, reports Kerstin Rapp-Schwan. It operates four restaurants in Düsseldorf and Neuss. “Two bookings remained, but they will also be canceled,” she says. First, closed parties would have canceled up to 150 guests, then department celebrations with 20 people. “That was like an emergency stop.”
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The innkeeper understands: “Nobody in the company wants to take responsibility that someone might be infected at a Christmas party.” But the consequences for the catering industry are serious: A year ago there was a complete lockdown, currently only those who have been vaccinated and who have recovered Guest access. And now the Christmas parties are still missing. For Rapp-Schwan, sales have slumped by 50 percent.
Lots of last minute cancellations
Companies are also in a difficult situation. Although they want to thank their employees, they cannot endanger their workforce or the company. That is why many large companies hesitated until the end to reject them. Vonovia, Jungheinrich, Eon and Henkel, for example, responded to a Handelsblatt survey in November that they wanted to make their decision dependent on the further occurrence of the infection or that they would allow smaller events for those who have been vaccinated, those who have recovered and those who have been tested.
These companies have now also canceled attendance celebrations: Vonovia wants to make up for them “if the situation allows”, Eon and Jungheinrich have canceled everything, and Henkel is sending the employees “a well-filled Christmas bag”. Like the Persil manufacturer, five Dax companies send gifts to employees by post.
Only three of the 40 companies in the leading index want to organize a virtual Christmas party with Allianz, Post and SAP.
Large family businesses rely on it more often: The Berner company, which trades in spare parts and consumables for car repair shops, has again decided on a radio show. All employees received a party package with games and snacks, the DJ played music requests from the employees and interviewed the board of directors. It went on for over five hours.
The intralogistics specialist Jungheinrich is still working on a digital format. One consideration: Cooking boxes should be sent so that everyone can cook with them virtually.
Christmas parties play a particularly important role in family businesses; direct contact with one another is important to many employees and the owners. But Dax newcomer Puma is also planning a Christmas market in front of the headquarters. “We would like to appreciate the special performance of our employees in this difficult year,” explains a spokesman. The 2G-plus rule should be applied, which means that only vaccinated and recovered employees who have also tested negative have access.
Continental does not want to ban celebrations in principle either. As with many large corporations, these take place at the department level. Such celebrations are “currently still possible in principle, taking into account the respective federal state regulations as well as hygiene and distance rules,” it says.
More: 96 percent at Puma, 95 percent at Eon: That’s how high the vaccination rates in companies are – sick leave is increasing