Creating inclusive winter workplace events: a practical guide for diverse teams

Challenges for diverse teams

Companies face a real tension here. How do you celebrate the winter season in ways that bring people together rather than push them apart? With an increasing percentage of the population internationally identifying as non-Christian, according to the Tanenbaum Centre for Interreligious Understanding, the traditional Christmas-centred approach leaves too many people on the margins. The good news is that inclusivity doesn’t mean eliminating traditions. It means expanding the circle.

Why inclusive winter events matter

The business case for inclusive events isn’t speculative. Companies report that a vast majority of their employees feel more valued when their organisations celebrate diversity holidays, research shows. Feeling valued translates directly to retention. Companies acknowledging diverse holidays see a significant increase in employee retention. That’s not marginal. It means fewer recruitment costs, more stable teams, and preserved knowledge within the organisation.

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Beyond the numbers, there’s a human element that matters even more. When someone attends a workplace event where only one tradition (which is not their own) receives recognition, they face an uncomfortable choice. Participate in celebrations that don’t reflect their beliefs, or sit on the sidelines feeling excluded. Neither option builds the sense of belonging that companies claim to want.

Practical strategies for inclusive winter events

Creating inclusive winter events doesn’t require massive overhauls. It does require intention. Small changes compound into meaningful differences.

Language and timing considerations

Start with what you call the event. “Christmas party” immediately signals whose traditions matter most. Terms like “winter celebration”, “end-of-year gathering,” or “seasonal event” open participation without erasing any particular tradition. Some companies focus on new year celebrations or mark company milestones instead, shifting attention to shared organisational achievements.

Timing matters more than most planners realise. Successful workplace celebrations begin with thoughtful planning that considers diverse needs, including potential conflicts with religious observances and cultural celebrations. Consulting a multicultural calendar during planning stages prevents accidentally scheduling events during Hanukkah, Christmas Eve services, or other important observances. Better yet, involve employees from various backgrounds in the scheduling process from the start.

Making participation truly voluntary

All holiday-related events, celebrations, decorations, and activities must be purely voluntary, as not all employees celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah. This matters legally and practically. If employees are required to attend an event, even offsite or during non-working hours, employers must compensate them for their time. More importantly, mandatory attendance breeds resentment rather than team spirit.

Make it genuinely clear that opting out carries no penalties. Managers must explicitly communicate that participation is optional and non-attendance won’t affect anyone’s standing. Respecting people’s choices demonstrates the inclusivity your organisation claims to value.

Rethinking decorations and atmosphere

Décor presents particular challenges. Red and green scream Christmas. Winter-themed decorations offer neutral aesthetics that everyone can appreciate. Snowflakes, icicles, white lights, evergreen branches, silver and gold accents. These evoke the season without favouring any specific tradition.

If you include holiday-specific decorations, commit to genuine diversity. Adding a single symbol of a non-Christian faith next to eight Christmas trees reads as tokenism, not inclusion. Either create spaces that equally honour multiple traditions or stick with seasonal themes that don’t privilege particular groups. Half-hearted gestures create more problems than they solve.

Food, drink, and cultural exchange

Food possesses unique power to build bridges. Nearly every culture marks important moments by sharing meals. Multicultural potlucks allow colleagues to share dishes connected to their heritage. These gatherings create natural opportunities for storytelling. People explain why certain dishes matter to them. Colleagues taste foods they’ve never encountered. Conversations happen organically. If potlucks feel too complicated, consider catering from restaurants representing different culinary traditions. Just ensure options accommodate various dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, halal, and kosher needs.

The alcohol question

Nearly 57 per cent of companies serve alcohol at parties, though that number has declined slightly in recent years. Alcohol at workplace events creates exclusion for multiple groups. Some abstain for religious reasons. Others on health grounds. Many cultures don’t include alcohol in celebrations.

Offering mocktails and non-alcoholic options demonstrates thoughtfulness beyond simply having water available. Some organisations limit alcohol consumption through drink tickets, while others have moved to entirely alcohol-free celebrations without reducing enjoyment or participation.

Building year-round cultural awareness

Here’s the thing about December dilemmas. They become much easier to navigate when inclusivity runs through organisational culture year-round rather than appearing suddenly in winter.

Employee involvement from the beginning

The most effective approach involves asking people what matters to them before making assumptions. Send surveys. Form planning committees reflecting your workforce’s diversity. Include representatives from different departments, backgrounds, age groups, and cultural traditions. This group identifies potential blind spots and suggests celebrations that resonate across broader employee populations.

When employees help plan events, they’re more likely to attend and feel ownership over outcomes. Their insights prove more valuable than any external consultant’s recommendations. Listen especially to those who’ve previously felt excluded. They understand precisely what changes would matter most.

Educational opportunities throughout winter

Winter celebrations needn’t compress into a single party. Consider hosting sessions where colleagues share their traditions. These sessions work brilliantly in both physical and virtual formats. For remote teams, colleagues can compile recipes into shared digital cookbooks, each contribution accompanied by stories about family traditions or cultural significance. Virtual gatherings remove geographical barriers whilst maintaining connection.

De-centring Christmas without diminishing it

Educator Liz Kleinrock introduced the concept of “de-centring Christmas,” which means dismantling the automatic hierarchy placing Christmas above all other winter holidays. This doesn’t attack Christmas or diminish its importance to those who celebrate it. Instead, it creates space for other traditions to receive equal consideration.

In practice, this might mean using “Happy Holidays” as the default greeting and reserving “Merry Christmas” for situations where you know the recipient celebrates it. Small shift, significant impact. It signals awareness that not everyone shares the same traditions. Creating and sharing a comprehensive diversity calendar helps managers stay aware of significant dates throughout the year, not just in December.

Moving forward with inclusive winter events

Interestingly, Gen-Z employees show more interest in attending holiday parties than older generations, perhaps because they haven’t experienced decades of obligatory celebrations and approach these events with fresh expectations. Maybe the question isn’t just how to make winter events more inclusive, but whether traditional party formats serve modern workforces at all. Some companies have pivoted to giving employees extra time off during winter instead of hosting parties. Others donate to charities in employees’ names. Still others schedule smaller team gatherings during work hours rather than evening events that eat into personal time.

The path forward requires genuine effort, willingness to learn, and openness to feedback.

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