Survival tips for the office Kris Kringle this Christmas

Stories abound in most workplaces of the Kris Kringle gift that went horribly wrong but Dr Molineux, from the Deakin Business School, assures it is possible to avoid becoming your office’s cautionary tale or landing in hot water with the Human Resources department.

“First of all, I would suggest keeping the whole process as simple as possible,” Dr Molineux said.

“The price limit should be low – say, $5 or $10 – so there’s less pressure on people and they don’t feel obliged to buy an outrageously expensive gift.

“Also, make it very clear to the group that participation in the Kris Kringle is completely optional and, just like in a Melbourne Cup sweep, people aren’t required to join in if they don’t want to.”

Dr Molineux, a Victorian Councillor with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) and a HR expert with over 30 years’ industry experience, also suggested a few key questions to consider when shopping for a present.

“It might help to ask yourself ‘is this a gift I would be comfortable giving to the boss? Would I give this to my mother?’,” Dr Molineux said.

“If it’s in poor taste, on the verge of legality, or a joke gift – think again! Joke gifts, especially, are never a good idea – you may think they’re funny but they can so easily backfire on you and cause damage to working relationships that is hard to restore.

“I know of a workplace where someone received a pack of playing cards with nude pictures on them. The gift giver thought it was a wonderful joke however some women in the workplace were quite shocked by the gift. If the gift giver had asked themselves those two questions, they may have realised how inappropriate this gift was.”

Dr Molineux suggested a couple of slight variations to the traditional Kris Kringle that may help workplaces avoid some of the pitfalls.

“A lucky dip can be a good option as it means you’re not buying for a particular individual,” Dr Molineux said.

“Ask everyone to buy a present valued at x dollars and then have people pull a present out of a hat. If people know that the gift they buy will be seen by everybody – and potentially opened by the boss! – they’re likely to be a bit more conservative in their gift buying. A lucky dip can also be helpful if you’re new to a workplace and still getting to know your colleagues.

“I think you could also consider incorporating a gift swap option – whether it’s a public Stealing Santa kind of arrangement or more informal, with people encouraged to put their hand up (privately or publicly) to swap their gift if it’s unsuitable for them – chocolates for a diabetic, for example.”

Dr Molineux explained that last year’s official warning from Australian Public Service Commissioner, John Lloyd, about the ‘dangers of Kris Kringle’ in the workplace has made many employers more aware than ever of the potential pitfalls involved.

“While Kris Kringle can be a chance to have a bit of fun at the end of a busy year, it’s important to use a bit of common sense,” Dr Molineux said.

“It’s also important to remember that your workplace’s policies around bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment and other issues still apply when it comes to Kris Kringle.”