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We’re now well and truly in-office Christmas party season! For many of us, the tradition of the office party or works do is a great opportunity to celebrate a year of hard work, indulge in some festive food & drink and let your hair down with your colleagues! However, we’ve all heard the stories about that one person who took it a little too far. So to avoid any next morning dread, read today’s blog for our top tips.
Before you call ‘bah humbug’, please know that we love a Christmas party here at Ambitions. It’s one of the highlights of our social calendar, where our branches join together to celebrate another year of hard work and success. Teams who don’t usually get to meet face to face are dancing away together to Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ by the end of the night!
Don't drink too much
Many people like to enjoy a festive tipple with colleagues during the Christmas party, and why not?! However, when the majority of less-than-positive party anecdotes start with ‘there was this one person who’d had too much to drink’, it’s worth keeping in mind – know your limits!
From the most serious incidents to the minor embarrassments, alcohol is often cited as a factor. Whether that’s setting yourself a limit, pacing yourself or avoiding the shots/drinking games, do be aware of your intake so you can stay in control and don’t do anything you’ll later regret.
Plan your journey home too – don’t ever be tempted to drink and drive.
Avoid work chat
A party is usually a chance to spend time with your colleagues in a more relaxed and informal setting. The last thing most people will want to do is start discussing next year’s sales targets so stick to eating, drinking and being merry!
Particularly for those in management roles it is also worth steering clear of engaging in such conversations with your teams, topics that are normally off-limits include pay-rises, bonuses and promotions; it may be easy to get carried away and over-promise or say something that could later be misconstrued.
Don't become a HR nightmare
Some people don’t realise that misconduct at the Christmas party could actually result in disciplinary action at work, we’d hazard a guess that every year they’ll be people who even end up losing their jobs over something that happened during the annual do.
So even if your party doesn’t happen in the actual workplace, it’s a good idea to retain at least a degree of professionalism!
I’ve even heard people say a good rule of thumb is to not do anything at the party which you wouldn’t be prepared to do in the boss’ office – interpret that as you will.
Avoid the Mistletoe
It’s usually safe to say that the annual do is not the time to start a romantic liaison with a colleague! If your advances don’t go as planned, you may end up dealing with the embarrassment of rejection in front of your colleagues or in more extreme examples, you could be dealing with a sexual harassment allegation.
Above all, the Christmas party is a time to enjoy and create memories! Stay safe and sensible and have an unforgettable night…for all of the right reasons.
Wishing you Merry Christmas from all of us here at Ambitions Personnel!