Getting into the Spirit – Christmas Party Advice for Employers
Published on: 22/10/2019
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Article Authors The main content of this article was provided by the following authors.
Caroline Reidy Head of HR Solutions, NFP
Caroline Reidy Head of HR Solutions, NFP
Caroline Reidy new pic

Caroline Reidy is Head of HR Solutions at NFP and a HR and Employment Law Specialist. Caroline sold her company, The HR Suite, in 2025 to NFP, an AON Company, and as of 17th November 2025 The HR Suite officially rebranded to NFP.

Caroline is a former member of the Low Pay Commission and is also an adjudicator in the Workplace Relations Commission. Caroline is also an independent expert observer appointed by the European Parliament to the Board of Eurofound. Caroline is also on the Board of the Design and Craft Council Ireland and is a Governor on the Board of Munster Technology University.   

She has also completed a Master's in Human Resources at the University of Limerick, and she is CIPD accredited as well as being a trained mediator.  Caroline completed her diploma in Company direction from the IOD with a Distinction and completed her assessment to become a Chartered Director of the IOD.  Caroline had worked across various areas of HR for over 25 years in Kerry Group and in the retail and hospitality sector, where she was the Operations and HR Director of the Garvey Group prior to setting up The HR Suite in 2009.

She has also written 2 books, has done a TEDx and is a regular conference speaker and contributor to national media and is recognised as a thought leader in the area of HR and employment law.  Caroline also mentored female entrepreneurs on the Acorns Programme.  Originally from Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry, now living in Dublin, is very proud of her Kerry roots.

The Company Christmas Party presents an ideal opportunity for employees to socialise and enjoy the Christmas season together. Morale can often get a lift at such events, as can team unity. Creating personal connections outside of the work environment can help improve the general atmosphere and the attitudes displayed in the workplace. The staff party is also an opportunity for management to show recognition for the work well done by the company and its staff. This may increase motivation amongst the workforce and may help improve the quality of work going forward.

However, at times the planning that is required to ensure that the event is successful and managed responsibly is not given adequate time or thought.  People are

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Disclaimer The information in this article is provided as part of Legal Island's Employment Law Hub. We regret we are not able to respond to requests for specific legal or HR queries and recommend that professional advice is obtained before relying on information supplied anywhere within this article. This article is correct at 22/10/2019
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