The economy may well be on its way to recovering, but that recovery might not be evident in workplaces at holiday time.

In its annual survey on holiday parties, global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. found that only 62 percent of companies are planning holiday parties this year, down from 77 percent a year ago. In 2007, 90 percent of companies surveyed were planning holiday parties.

James Pedderson, a spokesman for the Chicago-based firm, said, “A lot of companies are in cost-containment mode. This lends a little more evidence of that.”

Based on a voluntary survey with about 100 respondents, the survey isn’t scientific proof, but does offer a view of how companies feel about the coming year, Pedderson said.

Rather than having a big holiday party for employees, Chicago-based ShoreBank Corp. has had smaller pizza and hot dog lunches at bank branches throughout the summer and fall, said Brian Berg, a company spokesman. Company leaders chose not to have a large celebration at a hotel banquet center as it has done in the past, in order to save money, Berg said.

The smaller events have focused on recognizing teamwork and accomplishment, and bank employees enjoyed the camaraderie of smaller, more frequent gatherings, Berg went on. 

Schulze & Burch Biscuit Co., a Chicago snack manufacturer, is not making any change to its holiday party from last year, said Pat Rusthoven, the company’s human resources director. The company plans to have a catered event for each shift at the factory, similar to what it did in 2008.

“We’ve done different things in different years,” Rusthoven said. “Three years ago there was no party.”

Some workers leaving the office in Chicago’s Loop on Tuesday afternoon said they expected to have the same holiday parties as always, at country clubs and restaurants.

And the Art Institute of Chicago is planning to have its customary holiday party in its Stock Exchange Trading Room with a buffet, live music and an open bar.