As promised in my pre-Thanksgiving post, today, I am sharing Part 2 of a two-part series on enjoying work holiday celebrations. So now that we have finished off the turkey sandwiches and the last slice of Grandma’s sweet potato or pumpkin pie, I am making good on my promise and helping you to gear up for the many pre-Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa holiday parties. When it comes to workplace and employer/vendor-hosted celebrations, I think it is safe to say that most of them occur between the last week of November and the third week of December of each year in recognition of the major holidays that are celebrated across cultures every December.
Here are ten ways that you can party smart, have fun, survive, and make a great impression at your work holiday celebration.
- Volunteer for the planning committee – Planning these activities take a lot of thought and effort which often falls on the shoulders of the Executive and Administrative Assistants. This means that, once again, they won’t really get to enjoy the celebrations fully because they will be busy making sure that everything goes off without a hitch. I love that my husband’s job adds a unique twist to the mix by having department heads and above serve the staff during their holiday meals. This seemingly small gesture goes a long way to humanizing management and making them more relatable to their staff. Also, funny moments always happen when an exec drops a slice of ham or turkey on the floor and seeing them with the gloves and hairnets make for some great snapshots that can be posted to the company’s intranet site to add to the festivities.
- Attend – Everyone realizes that many people do not feel comfortable networking; however, for many groups, holiday celebrations are the only time employers get their entire work team together. You don’t have to spend the evening or night if it is held during non-work hours, but do make a respectable appearance and make certain that your immediate superior knows you there. Even if it is held during work hours, you might still be able to steal away a little early and go back to your work area.
- Arrive at a respectable time – I get it. I don’t like being the first person to show up at a social gathering, plus they rarely start on time. So I typically plan to arrive between 15 to 30 minutes after the planned start time. Then, although I usually plan my exit for an hour to forty-five minutes before the scheduled end time, I usually end up having more fun than I expected and stay until the end.
- Don’t just interact with your normal group – Take the time to interact with different people than the ones with whom you normally socialize. You’ll likely be surprised to find that you have more in common than not. It could even mark the start of a new-found friendship. Also, make certain to interact with vendor reps as well. Remember, they are often the party sponsors, but most of all, they are human, too, and they sometimes feel uncomfortable at these gatherings, however, their job requires them to attend. While at a recent conference, I made myself go around and interact with staff from our different locations. I particularly enjoyed one group and ended up with a welcomed conference buddy for most of the remaining after hours events. You make think that everyone is too busy drinking, dancing, exchanging gifts, and participating in the festive activities, but someone is taking notice. Believe it or not, your perceived socialization skills could have career-impacting effects.
- Know your organization’s policy regarding social functions – Some employees think that their off-duty conduct is not subject to their employer’s policies because that is “their time.” That could not be further from the truth. Even during your non-work hours, you are an agent of your employer. So don’t be misled…if you exhibit behavior during off-duty gatherings that are deemed inappropriate, you could find yourself in trouble. Even if you are not employed by the hosting organization, your employer could take action if they become aware of any behavior exhibited by you that they feel represents a lack of sound judgment.
- Know and follow the law – If you are under the legal drinking age where the party is being held, you are not allowed to drink alcohol while attending the event. Remember that ignorance of the law does not negate our responsibility to abide by the law. Also, even if you are a guest of someone who works for the organization that is sponsoring the event, you should not drink unless you are at least the legal drinking age in that area. Don’t forget the rule of “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” is no longer in effect. Everyone has a cell phone with a camera these days and many will not think twice about recording your behavior and posting to social media.
- Set a drink limit – Most of know how much alcohol we can safely handle so it might be wise to set a drink limit. For example, I typically set my limit at two drinks. I also don’t feel pressured to drink alcohol just because everyone around me is drinking, so I will proudly nurse a sprite for an hour. This way, I know that I won’t risk getting out of character and possibly jeopardize my continued employment.
- Designate your own driver – If you plan to drink alcohol during your celebrations that you attend, ask a co-worker who does not plan to drink more than one drink to take you home if you have too much to drink. You can also make arrangements with a friend in advance, who will not attend the celebration, to pick you up from the celebration and take you home if you drink too much.
- Have an accountability partner – If you tend to lack self-control during social gatherings, ask a trusted coworker to be your accountability partner. The two of you don’t have to be “joined at the hip” during the celebration, but they can casually keep an eye on you and either pull you aside if they feel that you are losing control (using foul language, falling asleep, removing clothing, table dancing, inappropriately touching colleagues, etc.) in any way and call a friend to pick you up from the party if necessary.
- Finally, help clean up if necessary. The holiday planning committee members are not our maids. Many organizations are on a tight budget and opt to hold their celebrations onsite or at venues that allow for outside decorations. If you’re there when the music ends and lights start to turn off, help grab decorations and tablecloths and throw trash away. It will cut tidy-up time and you will score brownie points with the planning committee who is likely bone tired from the planning and setup…not to mention still doing their regular jobs.
This may all seem like common sense, but the festivities of the holidays can cause so much excitement that people sometimes throw caution to the wind. Remember though, that your livelihood is not the proper scenario to do so…your self-respect and professional reputation are worth more than a crazy episode of ill-advised partying in the company of colleagues whom you will have to look into the eyes of on Monday morning. Make sure that you still have their respect.
Be safe everyone, and have a Blessed, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays 2018!
