A view of the atmosphere at an office holiday party.
(Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Niche Beverly)I started working at Magic 98.3 in 2002, so I’ve attended many company holiday parties over the years. At all of those events, I’ve seen a good amount of inappropriate activity. There hasn’t been anything that I would consider warranting an employee being fired. However, many may disagree.
In any event, some of the incidents were, let’s say, things that the perpetrators wouldn’t want to repeat or be remembered. These occurrences involved situations involving sloppy drunkenness or significant, but mutual public affection. There were also occasional sicknesses requiring a mop or a custodial call.
I’ll stop there, I think you get the idea. We’ve all seen it at one time or another. Thankfully, the frequency of these escapades has subsided significantly in recent years.
Our holiday party is this week, as I’m sure will be many others throughout Central Jersey. Most of us love to party and get loose with our coworkers, but with alcohol involved, it can backfire and ruin your holidays.
A survey by resume.io asked three thousand managers across the country about the worst office party mistakes. They found that about two out of three of these incidents were inspired by alcohol.
Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach, said, “Staying professional is the best you can do, as office festivities can have big consequences and seriously damage your career.”
Most Popular New Jersey Office Party Bad Decisions
In New Jersey, the top three mistakes made at office parties are:
- Drinking too much
- Flirting with Co-Workers
- Bring an Uninvited Plus-One
Other mistakes throughout the country include not showing up, oversharing personal gossip, and inappropriate dancing.
The study found that "poor judgment at company events remains one of the most common and preventable ways employees damage their professional reputations.”
Some of the worst incidents are simply things that are shared during conversations. These topics include personal stories, politics, religion, trashing coworkers or management, and complaining about the company.
The experts say the best way to resolve the situation if you slip up is to address it directly. If you feel you’ve made a mistake, apologize as soon as possible and take accountability.
What you shouldn’t do is pretend like it didn’t happen or make excuses. You made a mistake, admit it.
Check out the full study by HERE.
