Adorned by shining lights and glittering tinsel, the Christmas party has long been recognised as the centrepiece of many workplaces’ social calendars.

But for some workplaces this year, all that glitters will not be gold.

That’s because the Grinch will step in and steal the Christmas party, with some organisations fearing the annual bash might encourage behaviour that could land both the organisation and their employees in hot water.

These employers rightfully recognise that the party is a work function – and acknowledge they have a duty to ensure a safe environment for all employees.

They also recognise that in terms of safety, the party can represent a significant risk to their employees’ health and safety – one that they would prefer not to take.

It is a fact that high-profile sexual harassment cases have contributed to employers’ unease with staging any workplace event where often-excessive alcohol consumption - combined with a more relaxed, festive atmosphere - might change the regular workplace dynamic.

After all, we have all heard the post-Christmas function stories, or witnessed the appalling conduct of a small contingent of our co-workers.

Some of those behaviours have resulted in reputational damage to organisations, some employees have had their health and well-being compromised, and others have lost their jobs.

We also need to acknowledge that worldwide headlines have cast the spotlight on inappropriate and often vile workplace behaviours. This attention will hopefully have the desired impact and stem the frequency of repeat offences.

So here is a sobering thought: ditching the end of year function because of the attached risks is a move that would make Ebenezer Scrooge proud.

But when employers deny their employees the opportunity to participate in an end-of-year celebration for fear of inappropriate behaviour by a minority, they send a strong message to all: we don’t trust you to behave in an appropriate way.

Not to downplay the serious nature and implications of various forms of inappropriate workplace behaviour - but a better solution than cancelling the end-of-year function involves putting in place what others have coined Kringle conduct protocols.

These protocols include reminding employees before an event that attendance at the annual Christmas party or end-of-year celebration is a work function and regular workplace standards, policies and codes of conduct apply – even if the event is being held offsite or outside regular hours.

Kringle protocols can even extend to having a number of employees appointed to fulfil a “skipper” type role during the event, to keep an eye out for any early signs of inappropriate behaviour and to take action to nip that behaviour in the bud before it escalates.

They can also include a pre-event safety inspection of any offsite venue, limiting alcohol consumption via a voucher system and providing abundant non-alcoholic alternatives, and advising employees in relation to transport options.

The annual end-of-year celebration represents an excellent vehicle through which to build more morale and teamwork, to deliver key company messages, to recognise employee performance and to highlight plans for the year ahead.

Pulling the plug on the end-of-year celebration creates a trust vacuum between employers and employees and may represent a greater risk than staging the event itself.

So this year, trust your employees to do the right thing – and start planning now for an end-of-year event that will be remembered for all the right reasons.

Professor Gary Martin is chief executive officer, the Australian Institute of Management WA