There’s probably number of questions you’re asking yourself; What do you wear? How early or ‘fashionably late’ should you arrive? Can you bring a plus one?
Here’s our top tips on how to behave on the night because even if you can’t remember what you did, someone else will…
Do…
- First and foremost, do attend! Unless you have a very good reason for not being there, you should make the effort to turn up and show that you are a dedicated part of the team.
- Do stick to the dress code. This is not the time to dig out that ill-fitting tuxedo that’s been gathering dust in the back of closet or for the dress that doesn’t leave much to the imagination; dress smart and dress appropriately.
- Do everything in moderation. Yes, we know, a free bar and unlimited booze is just all too tempting, but there is only one way 4 glasses of champagne, a bottle of red wine and 6 Jagerbombs is going end and it’s not pretty.
- Do mingle! You should take this opportunity to speak to people from the office that you don’t usually get a chance to chat to or to speak to those senior members of staff that you’d like to make a good impression on.
- Do put your phone away. Spend your time socialising, stop checking your phone and have a good time.
Don’t…
- Don’t pluck up the Dutch courage to tell your colleagues what you really think of them, or even worse, your boss! Maintain a level of professionalism and be mindful of what you’re saying.
- Don’t get involved in office gossip or rumour spreading. It’s far too easy to caught up in ‘he said, she said’ conversations with your colleagues and avoiding this is for the best, especially after a few drinks…
- Don’t trap people in long, boring conversations. Your colleagues will more than likely want to mingle and the Christmas party isn’t the time to tell people how fantastic your kids are or how much you love your dog.
- Don’t sneak off without saying goodbye. No matter how much your colleagues have had to drink, someone will notice that you’ve disappeared and it’s rude not to say goodbye and thank you when you leave, especially to the person who has organised the event.
- Don’t take a chance on your office crush. Ignore your instincts, the office Christmas is a chance to get to know your co-workers better, but not that much better…
The office party is a time celebrate, so have fun with your work friends and enjoy your night but be sure to keep it classy. After all, you don’t want to be the butt of everyone’s jokes for the next 12 months do you?
