Tis the season for office punch-ups and threatening behaviour.

Personnel Today reports one in 10 workers know someone at their organisation who has been disciplined or sacked for inapporpriate actions at an office Christmas party.

A poll of 2,000 employees by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed of these, nearly a third said fighting was to blame while one fifth said threatening behaviour led to the dismissal.

Sexual harassment (17 percent), bullying (12 percent) and discriination (eight percent) were other common causes.

Ben Willmott, senior public policy adviser at the CIPD, said the survey results showed why it is was important that employers reminded staff that inappropriate behaviour would be dealt with in the same way as it would be during normal work time.

"People should feel able to relax and let their hair down. However, it is a good idea for employers to remind their staff that inappropriate behaviour could land them in serious trouble, and even lead to them losing their job in the case of serious misconduct," he said.

"In the current economic environment with people under increasing pressure at work, there is an added risk that people will drink too much, let off steam, and do something they might regret in the sober light of the next morning."