As big firms and smaller startups alike embrace the season to be jolly and let the eggnog flow freely, the risk of hilarious mishaps in the office increases. From wardrobe malfunctions to mistaken genders, CV-Library, the online jobs portal, has surveyed 1,100 British workers to find out how people have been contributing to the Christmas cheer, albeit not in the way they intended.
For instance, one CEO thought giving the company’s project manager a project-management-for-dummies book as a secret Santa gift would raise a smile. Unfortunately, she didn’t see the funny side and actually left the room crying.
A second gift-related mishap occurred in another office when a worker got the gender of a colleague wrong, mistaking their male secret Santa for a lady and handing over a gift intended for women.
Hitting the right sartorial note is equally tricky this time of year. One employee ended up suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction in the office when his elf costume was caught in a chair, creating a rip in the crotch area. Luckily, his stripy tights saved the day – and his modesty.
It might be difficult to focus on actual work this time of year but a group of chair-racing colleagues ended up crashing into a water fountain, resulting in a big flood. There were some serious repercussions.
Commenting on the research, Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, said: “Our findings suggest that workplaces become much more relaxed as the year comes to a close and that bosses are, in most cases, more tolerant. This December, I would encourage businesses and workers alike to embrace the festive season and celebrate their hard work over the past year. But remember – it probably won’t be all fun and games when you return to work in January.”
Given that new research from Zurich, the insurance company, has revealed that 27% of Britain’s SME owners and decision makers think they’ll have to work on Christmas Eve, we hope this list will help raise the spirits in your office. 
