Weekly Top Five - 17.Dec.10

In  High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.

Staff Holiday Party Don'ts

 

With the holiday season in full-swing, it's about the time during which companies host their annual holiday parties. Often one will here tales of some outrageous behavior from these parties and my be inclined to participate in said behavior. What you need to remember is that while you may not be working, you will be surrounded by coworkers, supervisors, and executives and your behavior should be appropriate for this crowd. With that in mind, here are five things to avoid at your holiday party.

5. Talk the taboos: Shop, Sex, Politics, Religion - This rule can be limiting, but it has to be done. The office party is no place to discuss your views on sex, politics, or religion. Furthermore, avoid "talking shop" at all costs. Yes, you are with coworkers. But this is not work. You are all there to have a good time, not to talk about what you do at work all day. Everyone already knows what you do, find something that is interesting without being controversial to chat about and you will be set.

4. Stick to one group - Although this is somewhat contrary to the above rule, this is still an office function that can lead to some great networking opportunities. Don't limit yourself to your work friends, you'll talk to them Monday morning. Mingle! Socialize! Introduce yourself to people, strike up conversation. I'm not saying you should go up to the boss and casually slip in mention of a promotion, but a little chat could go a long way. Keep the conversation polite, intelligent, and light, and most importantly, be the one to initiate it and end it. It will look good on your part that the people you work with and for see you as someone who can interact with everyone in the organization.

3. Dress like a fool - "Dress festive." Two very simple words that are often misinterpreted. Imagine this: It's March and your up for your promotion. Do you want your boss to remember you as the guy from the holiday party with the musical tie or the girl with the reindeer antlers or as the young professional who was dressed to the nines? Gents, keep it simple with a shirt and tie, perhaps even a vest to spruce things up a bit. Ladies, a nice cocktail dress (err on the conservative side for this event) will do just fine. Red is a good color for anyone to wear to a holiday party. Oh, and no sweaters.

2. Hook up - Holiday parties can be full of temptations. Avoid them. I don't care how hot any of your coworkers are, now is not the time or the place to set such escapades in motion. If someone attractive catches your eye during the office shindig, leave it at a nice compliment about how they look that evening (keep it PG) and maybe save the rest for a few weeks into the new year when you ask if they'd like to get a drink after work some time.

1. Get drunk - I get it, open bars are tempting. You've been spending all of your hard-earned money on gifts for friends and family and, quite frankly, you deserve free booze! As much as it pains me to say it, it's best to avoid the bar at your party. Maybe have a drink or two to serve as a sort of "pre-game" for an after party at a local bar, a neutral territory where you can let loose a bit more.

A staff holiday party can be a lot of fun. It gives you the chance to show off a side that may not be well known to your coworkers. It also provides an opportunity to subtly impress the decision-makers where you work. Just remember to keep it simple and respectable, and you should be alright. Have fun!