• This Christmas 75% of British companies will be hosting a traditional festive office party – three times more than 2011
• Hung-over Britons will cost bosses a staggering £740 million as workers predict their productivity will halve following their annual festive bash
• All women want this Christmas is big bouncy hair like Cheryl Cole
• Travelodge offers female revellers a free Cheryl Cole hair-do for their Christmas party
The traditional cheeky Christmas office party is back in full swing this festive season with 75% of UK bosses hosting an all expenses paid-for event for their workforce. In contrast, last year less than half (23%) of companies rewarded their workforce with a yuletide celebration and in 2010, 38% of bosses held a work’s Christmas bash.
These findings have been revealed today in a new workers study by Travelodge. The hotel chain surveyed 2,000 British workers to investigate the trends for this year’s Christmas office party season.
Key findings from the report revealed with the Christmas office party being back in full swing this year following five years of recession Britain, 53% of workers are preparing to party like never before in reward of surviving one of the hardest years of their working career. Over a third of workers (36%) stated they will be getting drunk at their work’s Christmas bash this year because they deserve it.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman said: “The traditional office Christmas party is a long standing British institution and it is good to see that more companies this year are rewarding their workforce with an end of year celebration. This is a positive sign that we are slowly coming out of the recession. British workers are certainly in the mood to party hard this festive season as we have seen a significant rise in room bookings in our city centre hotels for end of week bookings. Key party locations include: Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and London. By stopping over, revellers can party hard and not worry about getting home and most importantly get some much needed shut eye before starting work again.”
In preparation for their annual festive work’s party, 49% of British workers will be splashing out over a billion pounds in order to look good for their works Christmas party. On average adults will be forking out £73.80 on new clothing, accessories, hair do’s and beauty treatments such as manicures and fake tans in order to impress fellow colleagues.
One in 10 men reported they will get their hair done especially for their Christmas party and 15% are opting for a fake tan in order to look good.
Interestingly for women, having their hair styled is far more important than purchasing a new outfit for their Christmas do. An astounding 82% of females reported they feel more confident with a sexy hair-do in contrast to wearing a sexy little black dress.
The survey also found 42% women rely on a sexy hairdo to give them confidence, more so than a sexy outfit (35%) a fresh manicure (12%) and new shoes (7%).
Further findings revealed that 77% say they don’t feel like themselves if they are having a bad hair day
Nearly nine out of 10 women (89%) surveyed stated big, bouncy and voluminous hair is their preferred sexiest hairstyle. When asked which celebrity hairstyle women would want to recreate themselves this party season, findings revealed Girls Aloud popstrel and fashion icon Cheryl Cole topped the poll for her full bodied barnet. Second place was awarded to Kate Middleton for her voluminous ultra glamorous hairstyle and TV presenter Holly Willoughby famous for her big bouncy blow-dry won third position.
In response to these findings and to ensure female customers have a good big hair day everyday, Travelodge has introduced an innovative rotating hairdryer brush which can create big voluminous bouncy hair like Cheryl Cole’s, Kate Middleton’s and Holly Willoughby’s – at its key UK party hotspot locations.
(Travelodge party hotspot hotel locations include: Edinburgh Princes Street, Newcastle Central, Leeds Central, Liverpool Central, London Covent Garden and Birmingham Broad Street)
The unique hairdryer brush automatically rotates, enabling customers to create the ultimate blow-dry free of charge and from the comfort of their room
In addition the hotel chain has also teamed up with Trevor Sorbie salons to create a simple five step VT and guide for female guests to create Cheryl Cole’s hairstyle. The guide can be downloaded for free at www.travelodge.co.uk/news&offers
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “Our research highlights Cheryl mania continues to sweep the country as the Geordie style icon tops the Travelodge most sought after celebrity hairstyle this festive party season. As every penny counts in the lead up to Christmas and a typical blow dry at the hairdressers can cost around £28, we thought it would be a nice added value if we could provide the right tools to help our female customers create their favourite celebrity hairstyle from the comfort of their room for free. Not only will this help them save money but it will also make them feel fabulous for their big night out.
The study also revealed as a result of another hard year, party fever is going to peak in the lead up to Christmas. So much so, that hung-over Britons will cost bosses a staggering £740 million as workers predict their productivity will halve following their annual festive bash. #
With 70% of workers set to party at least two nights over the next 10 days, employers can expect a day of lost productivity due to their workforce spending around four hours nursing a post Christmas party hangover.
Further research findings revealed a quarter of employees will pull a ‘sickie’ the morning after their Christmas works party due to a raging hangover.
Listed below are other key findings from the study:
• one in 10 workers reported they have booked a hotel room so that they can party hard throughout the night and not worry about missing the last bus home or forking out for an expensive taxi.
• Thirty six per cent of workers think it is important to hold a Christmas works celebration as it helps co-workers to bond and enhances team morale
• A quarter of Britons will avoid their Christmas works party because they don’t enjoy socialising with their colleagues
• A fifth of workers reported they have passionately kissed a colleague at a Christmas works do
• One in 10 workers have had the courage after a few drinks at their Christmas office party to tell their boss what they actually think of them
• Over a third or workers surveyed reported they get the least amount of sleep in December due to excessive partying, working late and preparing for Christmas. On average workers will survive on just five hours sleep per night during the two week lead up to Christmas. (This is three hours less than the recommend sleep quota)