How to Have Fun at the Office Party Without a Visit to HR
It’s that time of year again…the annual office holiday party. Depending upon the size of your organization, you may be planning to attend a small gathering with only coworkers or a huge gathering with hundreds of co-workers and their plus ones. Office parties can be hit or miss. They can be fun, meh, or even awkward. Add alcohol into the mix and it can be a recipe for offensive or inappropriate comments. Whether your office party is a grand affair or a smaller gathering, here are a few tips to help you enjoy the event but also stay off the naughty list with HR:
Have a thought life that veers towards high quality thoughts about yourself and others. Remember what comes out of your mouth starts with ideas you are thinking. You are less likely to accidentally say racist, bigoted, or offensive comments if you don’t allow certain thoughts to dwell in your heart. Truly respect yourself and other people. As a general rule, avoid using holiday parties to gossip and talk about people. It can appear unprofessional and someone could overhear your uncharitable comments. It can be challenging to always maintain pure thoughts about others. Let’s consider the second tip.
Keep drinking to a minimum. Know your own personal limits and consider limiting your alcohol consumption to one or two drinks. Sticking with mocktails or non-alcoholic drinks are always a safe bet. Many of the faux pas that occur during a party originate with over indulging in alcohol. Practice tip: if you are tasked with planning parties for the office, consider limiting the amount of alcohol by offering employees one or two drink tickets. The tickets help limit the amount of alcohol partygoers consume without being confrontational about it. Party planners could also serve tasty mocktails that provide a treat without the drawbacks of supervising employees intake. It also it helps those who may be trying to maintain sobriety.
Have a list of witty informative conversation starters that you can use to open a conversation or bridge awkward pauses. Having a few go-to questions can mitigate anxiety and also help you avoid gossiping or making an offensive/embarassing comment. Here are a few to get you started. Reading interesting magazines articles or knowing about new developments in your locality are also ripe areas for great party discussions.
Reframe pauses or quiet moments. It’s only an awkward pause if I choose to interpret it that way. I’ve noticed that allowing myself to enjoy the conversation can help me avoid rushing to fill empty space with unnecessary words.
#MeToo movement has brought sexual harassment into the forefront of public conversation. Unfortunately, office parties can embolden people to behave inappropriately. Employees should enjoy the jovial atmosphere but avoid innuendo, sexual jokes, touching other employees. The holiday party is still a work environment. Practice tip: If you are planning the party for your organization, avoid decorating with anything suggestive (e.g. mistletoe, sitting on “Santa’s” lap etc).
Wishing you all happy holidays! Warm thoughts and the coziest Christmas for those who celebrate. Drop me a line below if this list helped you or there is something you would add.