Top 10 Office Party No-Nosby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 26 Nov 2006 04:55 PM Thanksgiving is officially over so now it's officially time to start preparing for your (or your spouses') company holiday party. In previous blogs I shared with you the results of a new study that showed more companies will be spending more money on this year's holiday parties. I also wrote a blog encouraging you reluctant party goers to take your invitation and mark "YES. I will be attending." Even if you don't want to get on the dance floor and shake your groove thing with your fellow co-workers and (GASP!) your boss, there are many more reasons to attend your office party than there are to stay home. And, finally, I also provided some useful tips on how you can make an appearance at your office holiday party and still preserve your professional image at a function where alcohol is involved. The following is a recap of some of those tips along with a few new ideas. I call it the Top 10 Office Party No-Nos (listed in no particular order): No-No No. 1: The blow-off. Quite possibly the biggest error you could make in the course of your career (I'm only slightly exaggerating) is not going to an office party that is a "must-attend" event. Remember the story I shared about my former boss who took attendance at parties... No-No No. 2: Forgetting the boss is watching. Remember the story I shared about my former boss taking attendance at parties... I'm not kidding. And that's not all. My former boss would make mental notes about what we were all doing while at the party. Even if your boss is anything but a killjoy, remember this is still a company function and you should behave appropriately. No-No No. 3: No T-shirts and sandals. If you would wear it to the beach, you shouldn't be wearing it to the company party (unless it's has a Hawaiian luau theme). Seriously, inappropriate apparel at an office party draws the wrong kind of attention. No-No No. 4: Becoming the business-talking bore. It's an office party, but it's still a PARTY. Don't be the one everyone at the bash tries to avoid getting into a conversation with. Find other topics besides business to chat with your fellow partygoers about. No-No No. 5: Me, Me, Me. This should not be the other topic of conversation besides business that you should corner someone with. Too much me, me, me and you will be left talking to just you, you, you. No-No No. 6: Foregoing the opportunity to introduce yourself to senior managers. It's a great reason to show up early to the party-before others who have the same idea rain on your parade. No-No No. 7: Talking about salary. Save that conversation for your spouse on the car ride home. No-No No. 8: Hanky-panky. This is a big one. In today's society those two seemingly innocent words: hanky-panky could lead to these two not so innocent words: SEXUAL HARRASMENT. No-No No. 9: Partying a bit too hard. Doing the limbo is one thing, but recruiting co-workers for some dirty dancing is going overboard. The office party is supposed to be an extension of the office environment. Keep it clean. No-No No. 10: Drinking excessively. Don't do it. Enough said. Related Articles: Office Party Etiquette---Seven Tips To Preserve Your Professional Image Company Holiday Parties---Putting On The Ritz The Office Christmas Party---To Go Or Not To Go Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantemployment tags User Comments  Fatherofeight (2475) 26 Nov 2006 06:17 PMHaving retired from a very large multinational company, I am relieved that I never have to attend one of those functions again. I had learned in college that I cannot handle liquor so I quit drinking completely. I was harrassed for being the only one not drinking at several of these parties and I am convinced that my stance hurt my career. In those days, the "good ole boy" network was alive and well. I know of two people who got so out of line at holiday office parties that they were fired. So, you can't win if you don't drink and you never win when you try to be the life of the party.  Beth McHugh |
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