Social events in the workplace: Here are the rules you need to know

The role of social events at Danish workplaces

In Denmark, a workplace typically arranges a number of social events, theme days and parties in the course of a year. The social aspect of these Friday bars and excursions is an important part of forming good relationships with one’s colleagues. This is where you meet potential collaboration partners from other departments – or make new friends that make your work life more enjoyable.

When it comes to events that happen at or in connection with your workplace, the same rights you always have are still in place. This means that if an accident happens and you break something, or you experience harassment in some form, there is a framework in place for getting help and support. Below we've listed some situations you might encounter - and how to react if you do. 

You are injured at a company event

You trip on the dance floor and fracture your hand, or you slip in a puddle of beer and severely sprain your foot. What rules apply in such situations?

When the social event is an official party sponsored by the employer, you are covered by the same rules in the Workers' Compensation Act as when you work normally. This means that your employer must report it as an occupational injury.

It doesn't matter if you're drunk or the party is held at work or at another location. What is crucial is that the activity by which you are injured is a natural part of the event. And dancing at a Christmas lunch or summer party is.

The employer's workers' compensation insurance covers you until the official party ends. So if you continue the party elsewhere, it is your own responsibility to make sure that you are covered by your own accident insurance.

Read about occupational injuries: What should you do if an accident occurs?

You criticise your boss at Friday bar. Now you are nervous about whether you will receive a warning or, in the worst case, a notice of dismissal on Monday morning

As a starting point, the same rules apply to parties at work as on a normal working day. Therefore, it would be a good idea to have a talk with your manager and apologise if you think you have crossed the line.

Having said that, most workplaces are more relaxed when it comes to Christmas lunches, summer parties and other festive occasions than on a normal working day. You are the best judge of whether you have been too rough in terms of what the normal tone is at your workplace. 

You experience unwanted sexual attention or offensive remarks from a colleague 

Your colleague puts their hand on your bottom when you take the elevator together, or you receive a text message with an inappropriate picture from your manager. 

These experiences are examples of sexual harassment – ​​unwanted, transgressive and sexually charged attention from others. Sexual harassment is a serious offense and is prohibited by law. 

You must not go through the experience alone, as it can affect you in the long term both physically and psychologically. If you do not have the strength to speak out against those who crossed your boundaries, then it is a good idea to tell your manager, a good colleague, HR or your union representative about the experience. 

If you are in doubt as to whether you have done or said something offensive to a colleague, you can start by addressing the person in question directly and apologise if necessary. Alternatively, you can consult with your manager, HR or your union representative about how you can apologise to your colleague in a good way. 

Read what to do if you are the victim of a violation at your workplace 

You and your boss have a long conversation over dinner where she says that you will be promoted due to an organisational change

This is both an interesting and promising statement. But you should take it with a grain of salt, as you can't take it seriously as an offer under contract law. And this applies regardless of whether the manager has been drinking alcohol or not.

Therefore, it may be wise to let it slide by suggesting that you come back to it when you're ‘really’ at work again. For example, you could say ‘That sounds exciting and I look forward to hearing something concrete about the offer if you're serious about it on Monday’.

We would only recommend that you ask more about it if you have the opportunity to talk without others being able to hear what you're talking about. But remember that due to the party situation, this is hardly a binding offer you have received.
Even if you are at a party, you should always remember that you are (somewhat) at work, and therefore, as in the above situation, you may get some important information about your working life that you don't have to turn a deaf ear to. In this situation, you may gain some knowledge ahead of time so you can prepare for organisational change and promotion by starting to think about salary and conditions and what requirements/desires you will have for job content and responsibilities.

After all, the manager is also at work and maybe it's a trial balloon he's sending up. If you know for sure that you won't be interested, we recommend that you shut down immediately by saying, for example, ‘I'm glad you've considered it, but I'm not interested in management at all and am happy with my job as it is now.’

You destroy property and equipment at the workplace

You are helping to prepare for a party, but accidentally smash a table into a glass wall, which shatters into a thousand pieces. Which insurance will cover it – yours or the workplace's?

In the vast majority of cases, it will be the employer's insurance that covers equipment that is accidentally destroyed during working hours. However, if you are grossly negligent, on purpose or in a highly intoxicated state, you destroy something, it cannot be ruled out that you will be responsible for covering the damage.

Your manager tells you that you're not meeting targets and therefore can't keep the project manager role

It's never nice to get a message like that, especially at an unexpected time. On the one hand, it's unprofessional of your manager to bring this up at a party, but on the other hand, you should probably take the comment seriously. Hopefully, you can be professional and let it slide and suggest talking about it further the following week.

The following week, it would be wise to have a thorough chat with your manager to find out why management thinks you're not delivering, so that you have the opportunity to make changes and keep the project manager role.

It's also fair to say that you wish your manager hadn't brought it up at a party. If you're not comfortable enough in your relationship with your manager to point this out, then it would be fair to raise it with a union or employee representative or HR. Your manager needs to get feedback on this management style.