Employees have witnessed cheating at the office Christmas party

Nearly half of office workers have seen people cheating and kissing colleagues at their work Christmas party, a new study reveals.

Is your partner’s office Christmas party coming up? Then you had better get a plus one, as a recent survey reveals nearly half of employees have witnessed a colleague cheating on their better half at the office Christmas bash.

A festive survey of 1,000 people, commissioned by stationery company Euroffice, has shows a staggering 43 per cent of workers have been witness to a colleague cheating with someone other than their spouse at the Christmas do.

What’s more shocking still, six per cent of amorous personnel have seen co-workers cheating while their partners were at the same party.

Surprisingly, when asked if it was ok to make out with a colleague at a Christmas party, 74 per cent says no and only 37 per cent actually admitted to a cheeky fling under the mistletoe.

This affectionate behaviour between colleagues can make for some very difficult situations for other attendees at an office gathering, as Tracey who works at a law firm in London remembers, ‘The whole office knew two of the more senior lawyers were having an affair. We were still a little surprised when they disappeared together, even though their partners were at the party. It made for some pretty awkward chat over canapés.’

But cheating on a partner is only the third biggest fear for party-goers this festive season, with British office workers saying their biggest Christmas party fear is dancing embarrassingly and more senior colleague’s coming on to them.

More than half (59 per cent) of workers plan on getting drunk or very drunk at their Christmas party. Nearly two thirds (60 per cent) have previously embarrassed themselves and 63 per cent of those who have embarrassed themselves plan on being drunk or very drunk again.

Further reading on Christmas parties

Owen Gough, SmallBusiness UK

Owen Gough

Owen was a reporter for Bonhill Group plc writing across the Smallbusiness.co.uk and Growthbusiness.co.uk titles before moving on to be a Digital Technology reporter for the Express.co.uk.

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