Navigating Holiday Office Party Season

‘Tis the season-for office parties! These parties can be a great way to further get to know the people you work with day in and day out. People tend to be more relaxed outside of the office and there is finally time to have fun conversations that often can’t happen when there are projects and deadlines during the day.

However, there is one important factor that shouldn’t be overlooked at a holiday work party: it is still work.

Your supervisor and head of the company will want you to enjoy the gathering they’ve either personally planned or financed as it is a time to give back to employees that make everything possible. What they won’t want to see is a glimpse of how you behave in a rowdy bar with your personal friends on the weekend.

It is important to keep your image and behavior professional, mostly because you cultivate a complete picture of yourself every time you interact with people in your company.

There is a reason tv shows and movies include scenes of that one employee that gets way too drunk: it is comical but completely inappropriate.

Other behaviors that should be avoided are delving too deep into your personal life, wearing clothing that is not appropriate and letting your work suffer the day after the party.

A second important factor is that an office party is the perfect time to cultivate relationships with coworkers that you would like to get to know better or to find out more particulars of their job. You might even have a few minutes to lightly discuss with your supervisor the projects that you would like to get involved with.

If done right, an office holiday party can be the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy fun time away from the office.