Some unwritten holiday rules for your work party
OK, so you know not to drink too much. You know this isn’t the time to bust out your best “Sweet Caroline” on the company stage. You know you and Chris from accounting shouldn’t hook up in the corner.
But what etiquette tips are you missing? Here are a few lesser-known tips on how to behave at this year’s company holiday party. Tell them you’re coming. “I hear from employers a lot that a certain generation of people do not know how to RSVP or choose not to,” says Wendy E Mencel, an etiquette consultant with the London, Ont.-based Canadian School of Protocol and Etiquette.
Make a point of RSVP-ing as soon as possible to help your bosses figure out how many canapés they need to order.
Do your homework. Find out what kind of party it is beforehand: a casual gathering at your boss’s house? A formal affair at a local restaurant? A beer-and-wings night at the pub? The location will likely dictate what kind of attire you should plan to wear.
Check yourself. OK, you’re watching how many glasses of merlot you’re tipping back . . . but are you keeping track of how many times you’ve gone back to the chocolate dessert fountain?
“Gorging on food at parties is another concern we hear from employers,” Mencel says. “I know of one company who after your first job interview, they invite you to a cocktail party to see how much you eat, drink and mingle . . . and then you get the second interview. And this applies to a holiday party. If you spend all your time eating and not mingling, your boss will see it.”
“Parties aren’t a good time to share with people something about your personal life they wouldn’t have known.” WENDY E MENCEL ETIQUETTE CONSULTANT
Save the shock and awe. In a polyamorous relationship? Enjoy LARPing on weekends (look it up)? This isn’t the time to share it with the rest of the company. “This can just bring up a whole bunch of questions that aren’t appropriate for that day. Parties aren’t a good time to share with people something about your personal life they wouldn’t have known,” Mencel says.
Use social media smarts. Before you post anything on social media, gain the consent of those you’ve photographed. “And don’t ruin your career by taking pictures of your boss and putting it up,” Mencel adds. Also don’t tweet your way through the party.
Don’t be a teacher’s pet. Sure it’s a good idea to put a face to your name and introduce yourself to the company president. “However it’s not the time to talk business or ask for a raise,” Mencel says.