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Avoid “Bad Santa Syndrome” at the office party – Mary T. O’Sullivan
By Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL
“The office holiday party can be a minefield of potential disaster; one false move, and your workplace reputation could be ruined.” – CIO Magazine
It’s that time of the year once again where we celebrate the holidays with family, friends, and co-workers. Every December, people look forward to gift exchanges (Yankee swap excepted), traditional foods, shopping, decorated homes, and holiday parties. What could be more fun than to share holiday joy with those with whom we spend the most time, eight hours a day, people at work. Over the years, some rules for office partying have evolved but with each new generation of workers, rules may change, be ignored, or reinvented.
In my early career, the boss would treat the entire department to a festive luncheon at a classy restaurant. The event was during the daytime, so there was little opportunity to lose decorum. And the boss himself was there, his mere presence encouraging good behavior. Drinking was at a minimum, no one wanted to leave the venue tipsy in the middle of the day, especially in the presence of company executives. And think of how foolish people would look staggering back to the office, reeking of alcohol. Not to say everyone exhibited their best behavior, but the off-color jokes, and the tendency for “lampshade on the head” performances was non-existent.
Later, in a different organization, the holiday party took place at the home of one of the executives. In this case, people usually did not stay late, and always arrived with a tasteful hostess gift. The evening comprised of the obligatory courtesy rounds, a shared drink or two, nibbling at the catered hors d’oeuvres, and not overstaying your welcome. In the home of an executive, there was just too much margin for error. People just could not afford to misbehave in front of someone who could influence the rest of their career. It seemed people knew better back in the late 1990s.
More recently, I’ve witnessed some surprising holiday party behavior. People seem to imbibe in alcohol more. Lining up at the bar, doing tequila shots seems to have become a holiday ritual. It seems past time for thoughts of decorum. Now a days, people don’t seem to pay attention to sedate dress at office parties. Exposed skin, plunging necklines, backless dresses, and ultra-miniskirts are now very common office party attire. Today’s shiny, sparkly, revealing holiday dresses leave nothing to the imagination. Add in alcohol-fueled wild dancing, and it’s no wonder people can easily do things at the office party they regret once Monday morning rolls around, especially if some other attendees post your boozy version of the Twist, the Pony, or the Swim on social media. You might get a call from HR once back to work.
It’s gotten to the point where rules need to be published so that people have a basic understanding of what’s expected at a holiday party. According to Forbes, “Bad Santa Syndrome”, the use of poor judgment at the holiday party, can cost you your job. Here is Forbes “Naughty List” of the top 10 behaviors that can endanger your career:
- Crazy dancing with a co-worker
- Flashing someone
- Kissing a client
- Making inappropriate jokes
- “Hooking up” with a client
- Crazy dancing with a client
- Flirting with your boss
- Kissing a co-worker
- Flirting with a co-worker
- Tripping on LSD or other hallucinogens or pot.
There’s nothing wrong with having fun at an office holiday party. Go ahead and have a drink, dance with your significant other, exchange amusing stories, and spread holiday joy. Just make sure your career isn’t on the line while you celebrate the festivities. Remember, it’s an office party, not a fraternity bash.
“Maybe self-restraint is something we all need from Santa this year.” – Forbes
Connect with Mary:
www.encoreexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marytosullivan/
Read all Mary’s columns here: https://rinewstoday.com/mary-t-osullivan-msol-pcc-shrm-scp/
Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas. Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society. Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University. Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.