Your office party is now days away.
And you’ve probably heard as many office holiday horror stories as we have. And when we say “horror stories,” we mean the game-changing type you can’t recover from.
Don’t let it happen to you.
Here are 11 things not to do at your office holiday party…
Not RSVP or Show Up
Even if your friends constantly have to hound you down for RSVP replies, don’t let that happen with your coworkers; they don’t need to know how irresponsible you can be. And if you simply don’t show up without warning, that’s not going to sit well with your coworkers, who will assume you have better places to be.
Don’t Dress Like You’re Going to a Club
Don’t use the fact that it’s a party as an excuse to reveal a little more leg or cleavage than you normally would at the office. Sure, use it as a chance to show off your Saturday night style to those who are used to seeing you in your office wear – but keep it classy (think wedding-appropriate).
Don’t Bring Uninvited Guests
Just like it’s not cool to bring an uninvited and unexpected guest to a dinner party, it’s equally uncool to show up with someone who wasn’t invited to the office party. If you’re not sure if “plus ones” are being offered, always ask.
Don’t Invite a Liability
Even if you are allowed to bring a date, it doesn’t mean you necessarily should. You will be judged by the behavior of your guest, so refrain from extending an invite if they have train wreck tendencies a la Lindsay Lohan or couldn’t hold a conversation with a stranger if their life depended on it.
Avoid PDA Like it was Illegal
Nothing good can come from a more-than-public display of affection at the office party for everyone to see – not with your date and absolutely never with a coworker. Does your boss really need to see that?
Don’t Treat it Like a Frat Party
Young professionals are known to take full advantage of open bar situations – but save it for your next charity event. Not that we should need to tell you by now, but here we are doing just that. We promise you there will be that one person who proves this need at your party. Don’t let it be you.
Don’t Say too Much
Even if you remain in control of your booze situation, with the combination of a couple cocktails, remaining “on,” and the awkwardness of interacting with certain coworkers in social situations, the best of us tend to say too much when it comes to the office party. Whether it means asking your boss about your performance, or divulging too much information from your personal life, if there’s ever a time for that filter, it’s at your work party.
Don’t Pig Out
Eat before you arrive for two reasons: it will help in the whole controlling your booze intake mission, and it will ensure you don’t pig out on the food at the party. By all means, eat, but don’t attack the servers or the buffet table like you haven’t been fed in days. It’s not a good look.
Stay Off Your Phone
Aside from Instagramming shots of you and your coworkers (totally encouraged), don’t spend the majority of the party typing away on your phone while the holiday cheer happens around you (as lame as you may think it is). It’s a dead giveaway that you’re not having fun and your coworkers will notice – and gossip about it.
Control Your Potty Mouth
Just because it’s not between the hours of 9am and 5pm and you’re not in the office doesn’t mean you need to unleash those swearwords that are just dying to come out all day. Don’t turn into a total “potty mouth” just because you’re in party mode.
Don’t Call in Sick the Next Day
You’re not that dumb. And it’s more fun to reveal in the slight hangover with coworkers anyway.
#NOTABLE
Cover image from: The Office
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