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Make Sure Your Halloween Celebration Doesn’t Turn Into A Scary Nightmare!
Sep 21, 2023 8:00:00 AM
Halloween can be a fun time for kids and adults alike. If you plan to celebrate with your employees, you should establish some clear guidelines so you don’t scare off any employees and your celebration doesn’t become a fright show.
It may be one day of the year when the normal rules about what to wear to work may not necessarily apply, but inevitably, people could end up inadvertently crossing lines that may offend or insult their coworkers. So without taking all the fun out of dressing up or celebrating, here are some tips about costumes and decorations.
Don’t wear a costume that’s too revealing or sexually suggestive
There are plenty of cute, fun Halloween costumes out there but work is not the place to dress up as a naughty nurse or a sexy….anything. Your co-workers shouldn’t see any more of your body parts or skin than they do at any other time at work and no one should wear anything sexually suggestive. No matter how funny you may think it is, work-related events are not the time to joke about it.
Don’t wear a costume that is inappropriate or insensitive to others
Costumes that are depictions of another ethnic group or cultural stereotypes are not a good idea. For example, American Indian or geisha costumes. Blackface is widely understood in the U.S. to be offensive and the holocaust is a painful historical event. Dressing up as a terrorist, homeless person, or mentally ill person would be in poor taste. Steer clear of any inappropriate and insensitive Halloween costumes. It doesn’t matter if you are “just kidding”…just don’t.
Don’t hassle others about why they didn’t dress up
Not everyone enjoys dressing up for Halloween and some individuals do not celebrate holidays (or Halloween specifically). Sometimes it may seem harmless to poke fun at people who don’t dress up for “not getting into the spirit” but if someone didn’t dress up, they don’t want to be given a hard time about it. Pressuring employees to participate or making them feel bad about not participating could lead to harassment.
Don’t wear a costume or makeup that is truly horrifying
Understandably the thought of Halloween brings ideas of ghosts, ghouls, and goblins but wearing exceptionally frightening costumes or masks can be truly disturbing to some people. Likewise, you don’t want to wear something so graphic it could gross out your coworkers.
Don’t wear a costume that would make it difficult to interact with others or become a safety issue
Be cautious of masks or costumes that would interfere with your general activities or interactions with others. As fun as dressing up for Halloween can be, your main goal at work is still to get work done. Likewise, if your costume should become a safety hazard (if you work with certain machinery, around an open flame, etc.) you should consider bowing out of the costume contest; your costume may be better saved for an after-work party.
Some employers also allow employees to decorate their workspaces or participate in other fun activities which should also include similar guidance:
- Decorations should not violate fire or safety codes
- Employees are responsible for clean-up after the event/holiday
- Decorations should be office-appropriate and not offensive to coworkers
- If there is pumpkin carving – watch out for those knives!
The above tips are not just about courtesy, decency, and safety although those are certainly important. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure their workplaces don’t constitute a hostile environment for employees on the basis of protected classes, which include race, ethnicity, gender, and national origin. With some planning, you can reduce liability – and continue to celebrate!
