Tips for Workplace Party Etiquette

Workplace parties can be tricky. You sure want to bond with your colleagues and have fun, but you not want to overdo it. At the end of the day, they are still your colleagues and you have to maintain a professional relationship. Here are some tips to remember so that you can save face even when alcohol is involved.

Don’t Drink Too Much

When others are paying for alcohol, some people try to chug as much as they can. The alcohol might be free but your actions can cost you a lot. If your employer is serving alcohol, you should limit your intake. Drink lesser than you usually would.

You might want to celebrate with your colleagues, but you have to remember that at the end of the day, you still have a professional relationship with all of the people present at your office party.

As we all know well, alcohol lowers your inhibitions and alters your judgment, you do not want to be around your employer or your senior colleagues in that state. Try to limit yourself to two drinks, don’t come off as someone who drinks a lot. Remember, the party is for a night but you have to face those people every day.

Keep Your Guard Up

This follows the earlier point of being aware of where you are even when free alcohol is involved. Sure, you can relax and have fun, that doesn’t mean you have to just let go of all rational thought.

Your boss and coworkers are watching you, even if the setting is different, consider that you are still at work. Don’t do something that your sober you wouldn’t. Mingling and networking is different and is encouraged but do not embarrass yourself and by no means start pouring your heart out to a colleague you don’t know well. You will still have to face them after the embarrassing episode, and the worse thing is that you will have to do it sober.

Don’t Partake in Gossiping

Even when you are sober and in the office, I will always advise you to refrain from talking about people behind their backs. You don’t know how what might reach where and cause problems for you. You are there to earn your paycheck doing work not by talking about other people.

When drinks are involved, loose tongues are bound to happen. Try to steer clear of the mess. It can be fun at the moment, but you never know when it comes to bite you back. Don’t try to fill the silence by talking about those people who couldn’t attend the party or something someone said about someone. Walk away if you think you can’t hold the conversation without shooting yourself in the foot. Yes, wanting to feel included can drive you to want to stay in the conversation longer, but remember you need to stay in the job longer than the conversation.

Don’t Be More Involved In Your Phone Than the Party

Workplace parties and events are supposed to give you an opportunity to socialize with your colleagues and network with the higher-ups. The parties are often ways to reward the employees for their work, take full advantage of whatever the reason is.

Put your phone away. You will have plenty of time to scroll through the same feed after the party. You do not want to put a wrong image across. Try to be present in the moment, focus on what is going on, and try to make the best of it. You can click pictures, of course, but don’t stand there coming up with captions and editing the pictures to post them just then.

Don’t Flirt, Be Respectful

You might have a crush on one of your colleagues, with alcohol in your system, you can be feeling a bit bolder – this does not mean that you mistake your workplace party as a singles bar and try to flirt with the said colleague.

Workplace romances are frowned upon and a lot of the places have strict policies against it, that still isn’t as bad as you flirting making your colleague uncomfortable and it resulting in a claim of sexual harassment against you.

Even if the other party is responding, alcohol and flirting and seeing each other in a different setting can lead to a one night stand, and I don’t have to tell you that can be disastrous.