It's that time of the year again and many offices are planning to have what has become a tradition of sorts in the corporate world; the office Christmas party. The office Christmas party has become synonymous with Christmas and has become so popular that it is a staple practice in countries where Christmas isn't even an official holiday and Hollywood has even made a movie with Jennifer Aniston in the leading role based on the shenanigans that have become synonymous with such parties.
While the office party is usually a time for employees to take a break from the stress of the job and have a moment of fun relaxation while mingling with their bosses at a more informal setting, many have misunderstood that there are principles that apply to such parties and have found themselves in embarrassing situations which have soiled their reputations long after the last guest walked out of the party venue.
Before you attend your own office party, be sure to follow these simple etiquette guide so that you are not remembered for the wrong reasons.
Timing - Be on time, if the invitation says the party starts at 6pm, be sure to be there at 6pm. If you must come in later, be sure inform your colleagues but try to be at the venue within the first hour and a half as anything more than that shows a disregard to the organizers of the party as well as your other colleagues and bosses who arrived on time.
Dress code- Most offices organize their Christmas parties after work hours on a work day so as not to disrupt the weekend plans of their employees, so unless a dress code is specified, come dressed as you would normally be dressed for work and if there is a dress code be sure to stick to it.
Refreshment - A good rule of thumb is to have something to eat before attending any parties, just in case you get there and the food being served is something you are not familiar with or worse still is finished. Even if there is an open bar and there is an all -you-can-eat buffet on hand, eat and drink in moderation. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the two-drink rule.
Conduct- Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times, no singing loudly and off key or performing a striptease. Instead, use the opportunity to engage with your colleagues you normally do not have interactions with on a daily basis by having light conversations, the office party is not the time nor the place for office gossip so , keep your smartphones safely tucked away to prevent distractions.
Exit - Stay for a reasonable amount of time (at least 2hrs). Don't be the first to take a leave and if you must leave before your boss, be sure to let her know why without going into too much details. You don't want to be the last man standing either. so make your exit once you notice the party crowd thinning out.
While the office party is often gossip fodder for the days following it, be sure that all your colleagues would be talking about is how much fun they had and not how you made a fool of yourself. With that being said, eat, drink and be merry.
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