It's that time of year again and the office party is looming. But how do you make sure that one night letting loose with your work colleagues doesn't mean disaster on the career front in 2008?
Remember, just because your boss is footing the bill for the annual team extravaganza, the Christmas party is still a business event and we still have to watch our business manners. Here are 10 business etiquette tips to survive the office Christmas party without becoming the talk around the water cooler for all the wrong reasons.
- Make sure that you turn up - unbelievable I know, but many people dread the office party - after all why spend another 6 hours or more in the company of the colleagues you spend at least 40 hours a weeks with 48 weeks a year? Remember though it's just one night and not turning up without a very good reason could have you labelled as uncommunicative and not a team player - certainly something you want to avoid being seen when you annual review takes place.
- Check the dress code - make sure that you dress appropriately. The office party is not the time to wear an outrageous outfit - unless of course it is fancy dress. For women especially, remember that if you spend all year looking to establish your professional credibility and get taken seriously by your work colleagues, you don't want to risk your professional reputation by your colleagues and bosses talking about what you didn't wear!
- Get connected - the office party may be attended by senior leaders in the organisation. Remember they are perhaps looking forward to the party even less than you are. However one of the reasons that many people don't progress as fast as they would like in their career is that they have little sponsorship inside the company and they do not have an extensive network. Rather than spending all night talking to your friends from your team, make the effort to introduce yourself to the senior leadership team. Even your finance director who said "bah humbug" about the expense of this years party is more likely to become more affable when the party gets going.
- Know the format - some Christmas parties are also the time to mark key achievements in the year and you might even find there are speeches made and presentations given. Make sure that you are aware of this before the party so that if you are one of the people to be honoured, you have a brief thank you speech ready but remember to keep it brief as your colleagues will want to get back to partying.
- Watch the clock - remember to make sure that you know the time the party will be starting, and while it is fashionable to be late at events and no one wants to be propping up the bar for hours on end before anyone turns up, you certainly don't want to arrive when desert is being served. And as for the right time to leave the gig, be careful not to get the reputation of Cinderella and be one of the first to leave the party, but equally make sure that you don't get the reputation for being the last one standing at the bar at the end of the night - unless of course you are paying the bill.
- Take it easy on the alcohol - yes the company may be footing the bill, but the office Christmas party is not the time to build a reputation for being able to drink everyone under the table. Enjoy yourself but be sure that you can remember what you did the next day. And don't forget to organise a cab share - you definitely do not want to risk loosing your driving licence through drinking and driving.
- Show thanks - at the end of the evening, do make sure you take the time to seek out the people who organised the Christmas party. They no doubt had to organise the event alongside a busy work agenda and were probably nervous that everything would be alright on the night. They will certainly appreciate the fact that the party goers take the time to say thank you for all their hard work.
Follow these tips to navigate yourself through the season of good cheer and you will be sure not to blot the copybook for your career success in 2008.
© Krishna De, 2007. All rights reserved.
Krishna De is an expert in Employer Branding and Personal Branding. If you enjoyed this article and would like to access further resources to build your personal brand and enjoy greater career success, visit her award winning business blog and podcast at www.bizgrowthnews.com
Tags: business etiquette, business manners, career success, personal brand, personal reputation, survive the office Christmas party
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