93% of Irish employees say they would happily lose their Christmas party in favour of this much better idea

It’s the most wonderful and drunken time of the year.

But in the midst of the reunions with friends, family and loved ones, most Irish folk are subjected to the Staff Christmas Party. It’s a chance to bond with your colleagues, consume copious amounts of free food and drink and of course, embarrass yourself in front of your boss. But it seems the tradition would be happily skipped by 93% of the population in favour of a Christmas bonus. A survey by IrishJobs.ie has found that the vast majority of Irish workers are unhappy with their current salary. The survey questioned 1,239 job seekers and found that 56% of respondents didn’t see a salary increase in 2016 with 70% planning to ask for an increase in the coming year. 2017 is the year to change for most people with 57% of workers planning on looking for a new job. “Increasing rents, childcare and insurance costs have all taken a bite out of people’s pay packets and our research certainly reflects that many people feel that they should be paid more for the job they do,” said Orla Moran, General Manager, IrishJobs.ie If you are contemplating asking for a raise, we discovered recently that this is the best time of the year to do so. Heather Monahan, chief revenue officer at the Beasley Media Group told Pop Sugar there are multiple reasons why the pre-festive season is the best time to ask. Firstly it makes sense. “Budgets are being solidified for 2017 right now and if your increase is not factored into the new budgets you will have another year to wait to get your increase considered,” says Monahan. Secondly, most employees wait until year-end reviews to ask for their raise so asking now beats the competition. Finally, the end of the year is a fantastic time to reflect on your performance from the year and share you growth plan and strategy for the year ahead. When asking for a raise, Monahan advises that you do it in person. It’s much harder for an employer to say no. The personal contact will also make it much easier for you to gauge the body language of your boss. If you need some coaching check out our article on how to ask for a raise.