Surviving Your Festive Season Office Party

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Surviving Your Festive Season Office Party

As the year comes to an end and all things official are sealed and closed, there looms one more challenge – end of year office Xmas party. The venue might change from year to year, but the rules to survive your Office Xmas party are set in stone. It’s time to revise them or live to regret it. You definitely do not want to be the office laughing stock as the new year resumes to its normal operation.

To ensure you enjoy your Christmas office party intact without risking your reputation, here are a few rules you might want to follow:

1. Show up

Attending your office Xmas party is a show of respect and a sign you are part of the ‘team’. Showing you are enthusiastic about your work, company and co-workers speaks in your favour, especially if you are looking for that promotion or want to make your presence felt.

2. Enjoy yourself

Loosen up and get social with your co-workers. Make small chat; talk about your traveling plans, or your new house project. Talk about your plans over the Xmas and New Years or listen to your co-workers tell you about their plans. However, keep gossip and conversation about work to a minimum, it’s not the reason you are there after all.

3. Mingle

If you work for a small company, you probably already know all your colleagues, as well as the names and possibly even a bit about their past times and their pets. However, if you work for a larger organization it is almost certain there are people you have never met before or people you know of and haven’t had the chance to introduce yourself.  Xmas office parties are a great way to charm your way into introducing yourself to the people you always wanted to meet. Take the work party as an opportunity to grow your networks within the workplace.

4. Dress Code

If you are unsure of the dress code, smart casual is always a safe bet. You might like to ask your workmates what they are wearing – you don’t want to be the girl in a sexy Santa Outfit and everyone else is wearing formal dresses – awkward!  Rule of thumb – if in doubt, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.

5. Easy with the alcohol

It’s very easy to get carried away with free alcohol, know your limit. Last thing you want is to wake in the morning with a massive hangover and regretting what you said or did. Somehow, bad behaviour at Office Xmas parties have a long lasting effect on everybody’s memory.

6. Keep a check on your dialogue

Christmas parties lend themselves to casual chit-chat however, keep a check on your conversation. It is a time to share but don’t overshare, there are some personal details that you might want to keep to yourself. Know the line between friendly and overbearing.  It’s a party so don’t get to serious and start a conversation on world tragedies, break-ups or any dark and mood killer topic for that matter. Keep things light and cheerful.

7. Don’t stay with the same people all night

Spend some time with people you know but don’t get stuck in that safety -net, be bold and go mingle. Take the opportunity to mingle and get a bit more familiar with those faces you’ve only seen in passing. A party environment is the ideal time to get to know people you always wanted to meet.

The end of the year is a great chance to socialise and get to know what your coworkers get up to outside office hours, to possibly make new friends, so loosen up and have fun. Remember the tips above to make your and everybody’s Xmas party a total success.

Nina Smith

Any challenge is a test of your character and mine is the pursue of writing. My interests will be reflected in my writing whether it be about the movies, travel, diet or fitness or the world. Each and everyday will bring me a new interest and a surprise to engage me and my thoughts and my hand in writing.

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