Experts share the dos and don’ts for the office Christmas party
Every year the office Christmas party lands Aussie employees in trouble. With the festive party season in full swing, etiquette experts tell us what to do — and what not to do.
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The work year is over, there is free-flowing alcohol and workwear has been swapped for snazzy cocktail clothes. Every year the office Christmas party lands Aussie employees in trouble … from clandestine kisses to heated arguments with the boss, all fuelled by a hefty dose of Dutch courage.
Etiquette experts say this departure from acceptable workplace behaviour usually boils down to people forgetting that they are still on the job.
“We tend to spend more time with colleagues than with friends, so it’s worth protecting the relationships and credibility you’ve built,” The Good Manners Company director Anna Musson tells BW Magazine.
It’s a lesson even young celebrities such as singer Harry Styles have learnt; misbehaving during the silly season isn’t worth it when you are being watched. Styles has previously talked about doing dry Christmas — no mean feat when everyone is in the mood to party.
“It’s just not for me. I’d rather wake up with a clear head … I usually go long stretches without having anything, have a couple of drinks and wake up feeling like shit, so I have another long stretch of not drinking,” he told British media last year.
Like Styles, footballer David Beckham credits being careful with alcohol for the enduring success of his career.
Even years after leaving Manchester United, Beckham says he is wary of drinking with his former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I saw him for the first time in a long time. We’d never even think about having a little glass of wine or beer (as players) in front of him,” he told UK radio.
“But the other day someone handed me a glass of wine and I was talking to him (Ferguson) for 20 minutes with the wine hidden behind my back.”
Like celebrities, professionals need to realise that — even under the mistletoe and on the dancefloor — you are at work.
Almost 50 per cent of US workers said they would be willing to have sex with a colleague at the Christmas party, research from Trojan shows, and almost 33 per cent also confessed to previously having had sex with a colleague during or after the Christmas party.
And Australia is following suit: 40 per cent of people aged 35 to 49 met their current partner at work, Relationships Australia research reveals.
With everyone letting their hair down, Musson understands there can be temptation at the Christmas party.
She says to remember that, while it is certainly not the night to secure a big promotion, being on your best behaviour still pays.
She suggests professionals view intimacy at the office party on a sliding scale and respond accordingly.
“If it’s a harmless flirtation with the boss or the mailman, gauge how outside of the norm your behaviour was and, if in doubt, address it straight away,” she says.
“The value of addressing it suggests you are aware it was not your usual good form and assuring them it won’t happen again suggests remorse.”
Musson warns employees to not get caught up in the revelry and forget what is at stake.
“If it was a horrendous mistake and you are worried about the consequences (people are regularly fired after office Christmas parties), get in touch with your boss the next day,” she says.
“Whether by text or phone, apologise early and often, to ensure they know you appreciate the gravity of your conduct.”
On her list of behaviour to avoid is: getting drunk and taking to the stage, removing clothing, making a pass at the boss, being the last to leave and still hunting down drinks, and general obnoxious behaviour such as bad language and rude comments.
But it’s easy to make one or all of these faux pas when music is blaring and it’s time to celebrate. Julie Lamberg-Burnet of the Sydney School of Protocol says the best way to avoid such scenarios turning into office gossip is to act promptly, but advises against revisiting the specific details.
“We would recommend a personal, face-to-face chat … (or) a phone call to say let’s meet for a coffee,” she says.
“If you’re feeling in doubt it’s preferable to recover from the situation because you really don’t know what the other person is thinking.
“I warn people to steer clear of flirting. Social flirting makes the world go ’round, (but) you do need to keep your feet firmly on the ground at the office Christmas party.”
On the other side of extreme behaviour is avoiding the boss altogether — a tempting prospect for those who struggle in social settings. But Lamberg-Burnet says that this is very poor form.
“It’s good to actually thank the boss for their support because bosses often don’t get direct feedback so it makes a good impression,” she says.
After all, she says with a laugh: “Generally the boss is the one funding the Christmas function.”
Originally published as Experts share the dos and don’ts for the office Christmas party
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