Well, it looks like our annual Office Party Patrol is just going to be a little less fun this week. Turns out the belt-tightening at Hearst hasn’t stopped with the closing of CosmoGirl. Now comes word that plans for the company-wide holiday party are shelved. For years, Hearst treated staffers to a lavish catered affair at Tavern on the Green. But with the magazine business on the skids, Hearst cut costs last season by celebrating in the atrium of its new Norman Foster–designed tower (one staffer griped about food running out). Now even an in-house party seems excessive during the economic meltdown. A spokesperson says she hopes “employees will understand our recent decision to forgo a company-wide holiday party this year.” Nobody else do this! As un-fun as most company events are, they’re still necessary. How else would you know that Bruce in security does such a mean Tina Turner on karaoke?
