The holiday season is just around the corner and that brings a chance to let loose with your colleagues at a holiday party. There are a number of unspoken rules at these gatherings for employees, but there are also best practices for employers. To refresh your memory or learn about these unspoken rules, read on.
Employers: Creating a Memorable Holiday Party for Your Team
Do: Send out a save the date. The holidays are a very busy time; friends, family, and work parties can lead to a very busy time for your team. Ensure you are sending out a save the date well in advance to ensure everyone has a fair chance to attend the gathering.
Do: Throw a holiday party. With the age of remote work it's more important than ever to get your full team together. Company holiday parties are often standard practice for everyone to spend time together out of the office and build a deeper team bond. Holiday parties don't always have to be formal - consider a comedy night or go-karts for a more active party!
Do: Model good behavior as a manager or leader. Leaders set the standards for employee behavior and the holiday party is no exception. Ensure you are maintaining professional boundaries, avoid inappropriate language or drinking excessively, and be social. Your team is sure you follow your good example and you'll avoid any sticky situations.
Do: Provide a safe ride home. Whether it's ubers, taxis, or assigning designated drivers, ensure your employees have a safe ride home. Do not drink and drive under any circumstances.
Don't: Forget the activities. Organizing a party involves more than providing a venue and food. Take the extra step and ensure your team has activities and icebreakers to occupy the team. Great activity examples include; work trivia, raffles, and holiday icebreakers.
Don't: Limit festivities to Christmas. Although most cultures and religions celebrate a holiday in December, it's important to consider all occasions that are important to your team. To ensure the party appeals to a wider audience, you can give employees the power to make anonymous suggestions to the party planning committee.
Employees: Enjoying a Team Holiday Party
Do: Attend the party. The holidays can be busy and stressful, between a full calendar and fear of making a faux-pas, it can be tempting to skip the gathering all together. Often the holidays are the main opportunity for teammates to come together, bond, and celebrate shared wins. Spend time with your coworkers to help build work friendships and make on-the-job collaboration easier. Chances are you'll have more fun than you think!
Do: Thank party organizers. Planning a gathering is no easy task. Although Christmas parties are office standards, take a minute to thank the team responsible for making the party possible.
Do: Relax and have fun. Parties are meant to be fun! Don't let the rules freak you out or stop you from enjoying yourself. Annual parties are a chance to connect with peers, relax, recharge, and reap the benefits of all of your hard work. Enjoy yourself above all else.
Don't: Overindulge in alcohol. Enjoying a drink at a holiday party is usually fine but overindulging can lead to trouble. Avoid embarrassing situations, pace yourself, and know your limits.
Don't: Gossip or complain. Finding non-work topics with colleagues can be difficult in a non-work environment. But, gossip is a bad form at any company function. Do not join critical or inappropriate conversations and steer clear of any gossip. Attempt to maintain as positive as possible when chatting with your coworkers and don't blow off steam at these events.
Although these do's and don'ts of holiday parties are generally unspoken & many of the standards may align with HR policies mdash; music, alcohol, and heavy socializing are not typical in most offices. Being proactive and providing guiding thoughts for your team can prevent problems and allow everyone to enjoy the party.
If you are looking for support either with hiring, onboarding support, or other areas of HR, our team is here to help! Reach out to our experts at Wendy Ellen Inc. to assist with all your organization's HR practices.
