As the season of goodwill approaches, HR practitioners will be bracing themselves for outbreaks of post-festive ill will. Bad behaviour at alcohol-fuelled office parties often causes lingering resentment that can escalate into open conflict and even employment tribunal claims. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

When a male senior manager made a pass at an equally senior female colleague at their firm’s Christmas party last year, she considered bringing a claim for sexual harassment. Lawyers, however, advised her to try mediation instead. A mediator, paid for by the employer, first met them separately to find out how they saw the situation and what they hoped to achieve from the mediation process. He then brought the two of them together and, during a whole day of emotionally draining talks, they thrashed out a protocol of acceptable behaviour - and agreed to stick to it. Almost a year later, they are both still working for the same company.