It would be fair to say that office Christmas parties have something of a stigma associated with them, and one doesn’t have to look far to see countless anecdotes of things that really shouldn’t have happened!
Well, as you may have probably already gathered by now, today’s article is all about stopping you from falling into the above traps. Fortunately, you don’t have to walk much of a tight-rope, and common sense is usually the answer in making sure that you’re not the subject of newspaper coverage like we have highlighted.
Bearing this in mind, let’s now take a look at some of the key things that you need to avoid when you take to this year’s office Christmas party.
Mistake #1 – You complain too much
You’re out of your typical office environment, and your hair is being slowly let down. What’s the first thing that a lot of employees try and do? They start complaining about their co-workers or boss.
Well, news travels fast, and this is something that you should be avoiding like the plague. The last thing you want to be renowned for is the office gossip so even when alcohol enters the picture, resist the urge to complain. Not only that, but it probably won’t do your long-term aspirations much good either.
Mistake #2 – You get too drunk
On the subject of alcohol, this next point was always going to come up, wasn’t it? If you have looked at any of the office Christmas party horror stories there tends to be one common theme – most involve alcohol.
As we have already alluded to, you are attending to let your hair down and the drinks will be flowing. However, there are limits and it would be fair to say that at these events they need to be even more stringent.
Mistake #3 – You don’t go
Sure, there are always going to be some circumstances that dictate that you truly can’t go to the Christmas party. However, you should try as you might to attend as your absence won’t tend to go unnoticed. Not to mention, the company might have a hard time finding good venues. Christmas Party venues in Birmingham can be colorful and you might not want to miss a vibrant party. Considering all that, it’s in your best interest that you attend the event.
In some ways, this is regarded as a work event and particularly nowadays, senior management see it as the prime opportunity to get everyone together. Don’t be the one who doesn’t turn up.
Mistake #4 – You use it as a career ladder opportunity
Finally, this is a trap that a lot of people fall into. This is a work event, but it’s not an invitation for you to stick to senior management for the entire evening.
They will have seen this time and time again and probably won’t be overly impressed with your advances. Sure, by all means speak to them, but try and keep work-talk to a minimum. Not only that, but if you are seen as someone who is spending “too much time” with these people for the wrong reasons, there’s every chance that your colleagues aren’t going to be overly pleased with the situation either.
