What Not To Do at Your Company Holiday Party. Company holiday parties are a fun occasion to celebrate the season with your friends, family, and colleagues. To help you have fun at this year’s holiday party without embarrassment, check out our top 10 rules for things to do (and to avoid) with your colleagues, direct reports, and managers. The holiday party is a work event, but that doesn’t mean you should talk shop the entire time. You’re there to have fun, so mingle with colleagues. If your office plans a gift swap or Secret Santa for your company party, remember that your coworkers and supervisors will be witnessing your gift being unwrapped. Do: 6) Dress festively (but not inappropriately). Office parties are fun, but should still be professional. You may be tempted to live-tweet your office holiday party or post videos to your Snapchat Story, but keep what you’re sharing on social media innocuous. Always refer back to number five on this list (don’t drink too much), don’t make people uncomfortable, and when in doubt, skip it altogether.
Ah, December: a month filled with festive decorations, hot chocolate, and the long-awaited company holiday party.
Company holiday parties are a fun occasion to celebrate the season with your friends, family, and colleagues. However, even if the party has all of the trappings of an event you would throw at your home, such as food, alcohol, and party games, it’s still a work function. We’re aware that last bit can be easy to forget, which is why we put together this post.
To help you have fun at this year’s holiday party without embarrassment, check out our top 10 rules for things to do (and to avoid) with your colleagues, direct reports, and managers.
10 Dos & Don’ts for Your Company Holiday Party
Don’t:
1) Don’t skip the party.
Whether you’ve been invited to another function on the same date or you’re simply feeling antisocial, avoid turning to your backlog of excuses to get out of this year’s party.
Social work functions are great opportunities to get to know your teammates, meet and network with people you don’t work with directly, and have fun with the people you spend 40 (plus) hours a week with.
At the risk of sounding cliché, don’t be a Grinch — go to the party.
2) Don’t talk about work excessively.
The holiday party is a work event, but that doesn’t mean you should talk shop the entire time. You’re there to have fun, so mingle with colleagues. Ask about their plans for the holidays, meet friends and family members your coworkers brought with them, and don’t forget the cardinal rule of conversation in mixed company: avoid politics and religion.
Ask questions, don’t monopolize the conversation, and if you get stuck, here are some networking tips to check out.
3) Don’t bring an inappropriate gag gift to the swap.
If your office plans a gift swap or Secret Santa for your company party, remember that your coworkers and supervisors will be witnessing your gift being unwrapped. You can purchase something funny, but not inappropriately so. Our advice? Stick to the price limit and grab something thoughtful for your deskmate. (Here’s a list of Secret Santa gift ideas to inspire your search.)
4) Don’t appear bored or antisocial.
Everyone is glued to their phones these days, but try to resist the urge to constantly check texts and social media at the office holiday party. Hiding your face behind a screen…
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