Deborah OConnor November 25, 2013

Ahhh, the holidays are here. Tis’ the season for sane, intelligent people to act like idiots and fools at their annual Holiday Office Party. We are talking about social indiscretions that can be career-crushing mistakes. Don’t let a party with free liquor and food sabotage your career. Here are some tips to help you act with discretion and class.

• Don’t pass out in the punch!  Being labeled as the company lush can be a hard reputation to shake.  Too much to drink can result in a loss of respect from your colleagues or maybe even that big promotion.  Set your drink limit before you leave home.  Throughout the evening nibble hors d’oeuvres and alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Don’t wear your rock star leather pants or lacy bedroom bustier.  Dress inappropriately and you could become the Monday morning joke.  Avoid anything too short, too tight, low-cut or too sheer.  Looking professional still counts.  
• Don’t sit on the boss’ lap or make romantic advances toward co-workers!  Be careful not to jeopardize a good working relationship in one foolish moment.  A holiday party is not an opportunity to blur professional boundaries.
• Don’t ask company VPs how many zeros are on their paychecks.  As a rule of thumb, it is best to avoid discussions about religion, income, political preferences and sex.
• Don’t bring the homemade fruitcake!  Unless planned, do not bring gifts or homemade dishes to the office party.  Adhere to the company gift policy, and only bring in that fruitcake on the official potluck day.
• The same rules of business behavior apply during the holidays. Do not wrongly assume that inappropriate behavior among co-workers will be forgotten. Once colleagues and supervisors have seen you at your worst, it will be hard to regain their respect and influence them later with your ideas.
• The holiday party is not the occasion to bring a date that you met at a bar last night. It is very important for spouses and significant others to exhibit the highest standard of social grace as well. Make sure they are aware of your position and that they can handle themselves with decorum. If in doubt, do not ask them to accompany you. There is no way to live down your date sitting on your boss’s lap in a low-cut, too-short dress.

With forethought, planning and common sense you can enjoy your holiday party without damaging your career. Happy Holidays!

Please feel free to send questions to Deborah at: www.successfulimage.biz.
She will answer them in her weekly column.


Deborah O’Connor is a social strategist and founder and president of Successful Image LLC with offices in Columbia and Atlanta. She offers training and seminars on image management, workplace etiquette, and social skills necessary to succeed in life professionally and personally. Contact at:  [email protected]        www.successfulimage.biz