Tis the season to party it up! Company holiday parties ain’t what they used to be, thanks to the economic downturn. They’ve actually been winding down for some time now, with employers’ dawning realization that getting staff liquored up isn’t really the best idea at any time of year.

Bill’s off-colour jokes and Sally’s stripper dance moves were probably best kept to their personal lives.

But is workplace socializing a good idea in the first place?

Arlene Dickinson says yes. She’s the sole female on the panel of Dragons’ Den, bringing not only a woman’s perspective to the business ideas that get pitched, but also a marketer’s viewpoint. Her firm Venture Communications has expanded beyond Calgary to offices in Toronto and Ottawa.

“My company has a regular social outing,” says Arlene. “Every Thursday we shut down at 4 p.m., and head out of the office to spend some time together, to celebrate something that we’ve achieved as an organization that week.” She picks up the tab.

Arlene acknowledges that not everybody is social by nature, but she believes this type of team-building exercise contributes to the company’s success. 

“It helps the culture of an organization,” she says. “There’s no big structure to our get-togethers — it’s just a chance for everyone to take a breath, and get to know each other.”

The Dragons’ Den staff has certainly built a strong team spirit, in part through socializing at “Health and Safety” meetings, the code-name for our outings! 

And the result is on display tonight on television — an entertaining, informative show that requires plenty of creativity and hard work. The holiday theme of tonight’s episode didn’t stop the Dragons from insulting each other even more than usual — and the production team will be watching at the executive producer’s home!