It’s that time of year again! Your work holiday party is probably fast approaching and you certainly don’t want to be “that guy” or “that gal” who does something outrageous and inappropriate. Here are a few tips to surviving your office holiday party… and not getting fired come Monday morning.
1. Don’t be the most intoxicated person in the room.
If your employer is kind enough to serve adult beverages at the party, don’t overindulge. Having a few glasses of wine or a couple beers is appropriate. But binge drinking really is not. We all know that intoxication can be a breeding ground for doing regrettable things. Don’t be that person if you still want your job on Monday morning.
2. If you do drink, don’t drive.
Getting pulled over, arrested, or worse in a car accident on your way home from your office holiday party is a major no-no! You have plenty of options to avoid this debacle. Rent a local hotel room – many holiday parties are held at hotels, so stay there for the night. Or grab a taxi or other ride-share. The cost of this far outweighs the cost of a DUI or OUI offense. As a final option, designate an alcohol-free driver. Carpool with work friends, and pick someone who is comfortable not drinking for the night to drive you all home.
3. Dress appropriately for the event.
If you aren’t sure what the suggested attire is, ask your office party planner. Don’t be the guy who shows up wearing ripped jeans and a t-shirt, when everyone else is dressed for a cocktail party. Conversely, don’t wear a ball gown or a tuxedo if the event is a casual affair. And you probably shouldn’t wear something that is wildly inappropriate for an office holiday party – something too revealing, wrinkled, dirty, ripped, etc. This is a work event, and you should plan accordingly.
4. If you request a song from the DJ or band, don’t pick an R-rated song.
No one needs to hear curse words or degrading lyrics, even if that’s your thing outside of work. Keep your requests to normal, radio-appropriate songs that aren’t offensive to others. Popular songs that people normally dance to are the best options.
So that’s it – four ways to ensure you enjoy yourself at the holiday office party, but still have a job on Monday morning! Follow these tips, and you’ll have a great memorable time with your office besties.
