Quintessential Careers:
Holiday Office Party Do's and Don'ts
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
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Editor’s Note: See also our Surviving the Office Holiday Party and Holiday Office Gift Giving Do’s and Don’ts.
Going to the company office holiday party this year? You can take advantage of the office party to have some fun and advance your career or misbehave and cripple your career. Here are some basic rules to survive and thrive at any company-sponsored party.
- Do remember that although office parties are intended as social
events to reward employees and raise morale, they remain strictly business events.
Do act as though your behavior is being observed every minute
(because it probably is).
- Don't pass up the invitation to an office party; not attending
could hurt your reputation. And when you attend, do spend at least 30 minutes
at the party for appearances. But don’t overstay your welcome by partying
until the wee hours.
- Do conduct yourself professionally at all times. Don’t use the
office party as an excuse to blow off steam. It’s still a company function, so proper
etiquette and decorum matter.
- Don't bring the party lampshade, gag gifts for the boss, or
any other crazy stuff you might do at a personal holiday party.
- Do enjoy yourself at the party. Employers spend the big
bucks to reward their employees, so be sure to enjoy the only holiday gift
you may be getting from the company.
- Don't pull the nightclub attire from your closet for the event --
and do ask whether the attire for the party is formal or casual. The party is still a
business function, so conservative party clothes are a good choice. So, do remember
to skip anything too revealing or too flashy. Keep your reputation for good taste intact.
- Do keep your hands to yourself. Don’t flirt, and do avoid
any other inappropriate behavior. The office party is not the time to end your career with the
company by doing something inappropriate or illegal.
- Don't spend all evening talking business. You’ll forever have the label as the office bore.
- Do keep all conversations positive and upbeat. Don’t spend the
evening complaining, bragging, correcting, whining, or ridiculing. And do avoid controversial
subjects (such as religion, politics, etc.) and off-color jokes.
- Don't monopolize conversations -- and, especially, don’t talk
about yourself or your accomplishments all night. Do show interest in others.
Do be gracious and thank coworkers and team members for all their help and hard
work during the past year. And don’t even think about gossiping about others.
- Do keep one hand free during the night so that you can offer handshakes
to people as they come by. And do keep your drink in your left hand, so you are
not offering people a cold, wet handshake all evening.
- Don't feel you need to drink excessively just because it’s an open
bar. And don’t pig-out at the food buffet either. Moderation is key. You can always
eat and drink more after the party.
- Do take the time to network and schmooze with people at the party who
can influence your career or who you may not see regularly, such as top management,
people from other departments, and employees from other locations. A holiday party is
a great event to begin building or strengthening business relationships, so do
introduce yourself and build your network.
- Don't assume everyone celebrates the same holiday, so
don’t go overboard with the “Merry Christmas.”
- Do be sure you know exactly who is invited to the party.
Spouses or significant others are not always on the guest list for office parties.
And if guests are permitted, don’t bring an inappropriate person as your guest.
- Don't forget to thank the person responsible for the planning and
coordinating of the party. And do consider sending a thank-you note to top
management for hosting the party.
- Do inquire about office policies on providing car or cab service for employees attending the holiday party. And do appoint a designated driver or do hire a cab yourself if the company is not willing to provide the rides home. Don’t drink and drive.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers,
one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of
EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of
MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and
EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of
Quintessential Careers Press,
including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter,
QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a
published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often
quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is
also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his
personal Website or
reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.
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