CAREER COACH

GO TO GREG

I have a new job and I’m wondering if I should buy my boss a holiday gift. Will that make me look like a suck-up?

Depends on what you buy. A Rolex would make you look like worse than a suck-up; a fruitcake would be worse than no gift at all. Something baked would be just right, unless of course your boss has a nut allergy and needs an EpiPen chaser. Such are the perils of gift-giving around the office.

General rule: You don’t have to exchange gifts at work, but if it is the custom, gift down to staff, not up to your boss — unless you have a unique and close relationship where you have established otherwise. Having the team chip in to buy the boss a gift is the safest way to play Santa at work.

We returned to the office this year and now the company is having a holiday party. I don’t want to go — not because of COVID but because I hate company holiday parties. Is it bad form to skip out on it?

Well, you can credibly excuse yourself for fear of COVID, unless you’ve been jamming yourself in the lunchroom around the coffee machine with your colleagues all year.

Recent surveys suggest that 42% of employers are planning holiday parties this season and ironically, the majority of employees would prefer not to attend, since it involves crowding around the buffet table and bar with co-workers and the boss, with whom most workers would rather not spend any more time with than they have to.

Plus, free unlimited food, alcohol and music was never a prescription for career advancement — more like career-limiting moves.

Like gambling in a casino, breaking even is winning so emerging with your career and reputation intact is the key.

My recommendation is to show your face, smile, be gracious and thank your hosts and boss, then high-tail it out of there before the booziness kicks in (or the dancing.) Happy holidays!

Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. Hear Greg Weds.

at 9:35 a.m. on iHeartRadio 710 WOR with Len Berman and Michael Riedel. E-mail: GoToGreg@NYPost.com. Follow: GoToGreg.com and on

Twitter: @GregGiangrande