The company Christmas party: this is usually the place where you get to see some of your colleagues alter egos come out. The shy become social. The friendly become friendlier and the outgoing, well they can just…get very ugly!
Christmas parties can be a well-earned chance to let off some steam but there is risk of them turning into alcohol-fuelled obstacle courses, full of career-threatening moments.
While the Christmas party can create worries for both employer and employee, it is an event where you can still behave professionally and have fun. They provide a great opportunity to socialize with co-workers and bosses, within your company whom you may not normally have a chance to mingle with. It all comes down to the simple mantra “behave right and you’ll have a great night.”
Remember, this also applies to your significant other’s work function. Because it turns out the employees aren’t the only ones who can make some big mistakes at a company party.
At the end of the day, even if this is outside the 9-5 environment, keep in mind that come Monday, you still need to work with these people. So before going for that entire bottle of wine, you might want to ask you yourself if that would put your reputation and integrity at risk.
Corinne Kassee / Benefits Administrator / PEO Canada