The holiday party season is upon us. So, what could go wrong?
This is that special time of year where you get to interact with your colleagues (somewhat) outside of a professional setting. While these parties are meant to be a reward and an opportunity to foster company culture, they can also turn awkward real quick – something you don’t want since you still have to work on a team with these people.
We’ve outlined 12 of the most classic office party personalities and visualized them in the various situations they commonly create. Check out the infographic below to see these office partiers at their finest!
What a festive bunch!
If you’ve worked in the office setting long enough, you have undoubtedly come across one of these characters during the company holiday party. While it’s funny to visualize these party archetypes in a graphic, encountering them in real life can be very uncomfortable – especially if they’re your boss.
Even worse, if you’re not cognizant of your behavior during your company’s annual party, you could become one of them!
To help you avoid embarrassing yourself and having your colleagues hate you, here is a quick list of do’s and don’ts to ensure you display proper holiday party etiquette.
Do’s
These are the things you should do to successfully navigate the awkwardness of the office holiday party:
- Drink responsibly – nearly all office party horror stories involve someone drinking too much alcohol.
- Socialize – take this opportunity to try to get to know your coworkers better on a more personal level.
- Participate – if there is a contest, drawing, or other game happening, take part – nobody likes a party pooper.
- Dress appropriately – make sure you understand what the expected dress code is beforehand—whether it’s semi-professional or ugly sweaters—wear what’s appropriate.
- Show appreciation – make sure to thank the organizers of the party for their time and effort putting everything together.
Don’t’s
Avoid these common holiday party pitfalls.
- Leave early – don’t jet from the party at the first opportunity. You don’t have to stay all night but leaving early is a bad look.
- Gossip or complain about work – keep your conversations with colleagues positive and don’t talk about work.
- Flirt – even if you have a budding office romance, the office party is not the place to act on romantic feelings.
- Bring unwanted guests – if you bring a plus one, make sure you’re supposed to bring a plus one and ensure they’re also on their best behavior.
- Act bored – even if you don’t necessarily want to be there, don’t show it by constantly checking your phone, frowning or being generally unpleasant.
Follow these simple guidelines and you can enjoy your holiday party responsibly and not be the subject of office gossip on Monday!