Bosses reveal the Christmas party sins you don't want to commit

YOU'VE worked hard all year and it's time to kick back. But there are certain party sins you don't want to commit. Bosses tell us what you should never, ever do.

It all starts out innocently enough ... Picture: Getty.

IT'S the night you've been waiting for all year.

But you might not realise that one night of white wine and telling people what you really think, could actually do your career ambitions serious harm.

News.com.au asked bosses what are the worst Christmas party sins their workers can commit. Read on for their answers - and don't say you haven't been warned.

Not turning up

Founder and CEO of Job Advisor Justin Babet said the first rule of the Christmas party is to turn up.

"You need to make an effort. It's extremely bad form if you RSVP and don't make it. They've spent money to do this and it's not nice if people don't show up. You might get labelled as not a team player," he said.

If it's a costume party then a token-effort at least is required. Mr Babet said "even if you get it completely over the top you can never go wrong."

Mark Taylor, the CEO of Taylor Construction Group, agrees.

"Personally for me if we're going to effort to put these functions on we're trying to actually create a culture," he said adding that if someone doesn't attend "they're the one whose name sits there on the table as being unreliable."

And gets steadily worse ... Picture: Thinkstock.

Taking advantage of the free booze (in a really obvious way)

Most people like to kick back and have a drink at the office Christmas party, but treating it like your last night on earth is not advised.

"It's not like a normal social event," Mr Babet said.

"Your friends don't employ you so when you go out with friends you can get away with things you can't at a work function. You can have fun but there's a broader context to that fun."

Instead, he said while you shouldn't be talking about work, you're still essentially in an office environment.

"If you have to show up the next day or week you don't want to do anything that's going to make it particularly awkward," he said.

Mr Taylor said if your partner is invited, it may also pay to keep them in check.

"You've seen staff who have bought a partner to the function and it hasn't really done them any favours."

"They've had a few too many drinks or decided to behave in a way that didn't reflect well on the employee. So it's not just yourself, it's who you bring."

Until suddenly you think a megaphone is a great idea ... Picture: Thinkstock.

Letting your 'real' self out of the bag... too quickly

Mr Taylor said the Christmas party can be one of the few times you get a glimpse of people's personalities outside of the office environment.

"There's always one or two shockers in the room. It's something people need to keep their guard up [about]. They're going to be seen in a social environment, they need to make sure any behaviour supports what their ambitions are in the workplace."

Mr Babet said where alcohol is involved it's best to get some food down first and keep drinking water.

"You can be drinking for three hours until you have something to eat, that's where people get into trouble," he said.

Finally getting those grudges off your chest

Everyone has issues in the workplace, but the Christmas party is not the time to air your biggest grievances.

"It's not the time to debate the topic they feel has been unresolved throughout the year," Mr Taylor said.

And everyone else just needs one more drink to get on your level. Picture: Thinkstock.

Put your phone away

No one wants to see an anti-social colleague texting all night so being a good guest often means putting your phone away.

"Don't sit on your mobile phone all night, texting your mates or checking your work email. In some ways that's worse than not showing up. If you're there, make an effort and engage with people," Mr Babet said.

The opposite extreme is also bad. If you're being a paparazzo it's best to wait until you have a clear head before uploading images online.

"Once upon a time you had a big night out ... but these days someone is going to snap a photo of you," Mr Taylor said, adding that once it's online it's hard to ever get back.

But really, your level is a bit ridiculous. Picture: Thinkstock.

If you're going to hook up with a workmate, be discreet

Mr Babet said he can't pass judgement on an office romance seeing as he met his wife at work, but there is a distinct difference between "sneaking off and having some alone time and pashing someone in front of everyone else."

It's best to keep things classy and don't ever make a move on someone that is spoken for.

"I have seen people destroy their careers doing that," Mr Babet said.

Mr Taylor said while their company doesn't have a lot of young single staff, "It's certainly not the night to start a new romance."

Especially as you're going to have to continue working with these people. Picture: Th...

If you have had a shocker, own up

If you wake up the next day having offended someone or really put your foot in things, the best thing to do is front up and apologise.

"If they're really feel they have offended somebody, they're better just to confront it. Nobody is going to hold that against them," Mr Taylor said.

Mark Taylor is nominated for the CEO Magazine's Executive of the Year award 2013. Click here for more information about the event.

What's the worst Christmas party story you've ever heard? Tell us in the comments below or continue the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ | @Victoria - Craw

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