Do’s And Don’ts Of The Office Christmas Party

Christmas is fast approaching and for anyone who works in an office that means the Christmas party will be arriving soon. The Christmas party can take many guises, it could be a full night out with a meal and then dancing, it could simply be a night of fun bowling.

But while it’s always a chance for people to finally let loose and get to know their co-workers better, there are still some do’s and don’ts that should be acknowledged to avoid any unfortunate embarrassing moments.

Do Bring Out That Christmas Jumper!

If your party is a little more casual then it’s obviously time to whip out the Christmas jumper. The more outrageous the jumper the better, though make sure it’s not vulgar obviously. Add some tinsel and a Christmas hat to get more into the spirit and you’ll be set for your party!

Don’t Do Anything You’ll Regret

We know, we know. This is a hard one to follow once you’ve had a few drinks. But it’s incredibly important at the Christmas party. With alcohol involved then anything can happen but at least try to limit any unfortunate damage you might cause.

As much as you’d like to just 100% let loose like you may do with your friends, you have to think that these are your colleagues and you will have to face them for a long time if you make any silly mistakes. Just remember, just because you’re drunk doesn’t mean you have permission to do anything you would like.

Do Talk To Everyone

The yearly Christmas party is the perfect time of the year to expand your work relationships by talking to people you’ve either never met, or have only briefly met. The informal setting means that there is no pressure to talk about work, allowing you to have full conversations that are not solely work based.

You never know, you might find your new work best friend!

Don’t Offend Your Higher Ups

Senior management will often attend Christmas parties, which means you can get a little friendlier with your managers and board than in a normal work situation. It might be the perfect way to show yourself off and find out more about them, a Christmas party will humanise anyone!

But with the addition of alcohol, there is a fine line that needs to be observed. Something that you might think is perfectly acceptable while slightly drunk could be taken the wrong way. Saying or doing this in front any higher ups can run the risk of offending them, which could lead to unfortunate repercussions in the workplace.

Important to remember is that just because you’re at a party outside of the work environment, it doesn’t mean you are exempt from standard procedures. While out, you are still representing your company and there is always the unfortunate chance that HR may become involved if you do something particularly bad.

Do Enjoy Yourself

The main point to a Christmas party is to simply forget about work for a while and enjoy yourself. While it’s important to remember our don’ts to reduce the risk of any embarrassment, it is even more important that you simply enjoy yourself.

Whether you stay sober, have a few drinks or get a little bit drunk, it’s time to have some Christmas fun!