How to survive your office’s Holiday Parties: Have fun- but remember that it’s still work.

It’s that time of year when everyone begins to look forward to- or dread- their holiday office party. Even those who are excited by the prospect of an upcoming party are wary about how they should act. Some, however, seem to completely throw caution to the wind, and then wonder what they should have done differently once they’re sitting in their supervisor’s office the next day.

“People think they’re there to have fun and let loose,” says Richard Bayer, chief operating officer of the Five O’ Clock Club “Remember that while there’s no need to be paranoid, you are being watched. Though a holiday event may not feel like a business meeting, treat it as one.”
Here are the Club’s guidelines:

1. Attend the party. In most cases, you want to make sure you’re seen as one of the team. You don’t have to stay until the busboys leave; simply stop by for however long it takes you to make a positive impression on a few key peers, managers, and subordinates.

2. No excess drinking. A marketing executive in Pennsylvania had too much to drink at a company party, thought he saw a young female administrative assistant smile at him, and soon was making unwanted advances. The next day her parents showed up at the office. Lawyers had to be brought in and he was lucky to get away with an apology.

3. Avoid awkward situations. A manager was leaning up against a wall minding his own business, when a tipsy co-worker came over and leaned up next to him – very closely. Despite the reality of the situation, it appeared that they were behaving inappropriately.
The manager was called into his supervisor’s office the next day, despite his pleading innocence. Avoid situations that may be misconstrued by on-lookers.

4. Build your network. Meet people from other departments and say, “I’ve been interested in knowing what you do and would love to meet with you sometime to exchange information.” Get to know other people within the organization and consider it a part of sustaining a healthy network of contacts.

5. Let the big bosses know who you are. When a boss says, “Hi Matt, how are you?” do NOT say, “Fine, thanks” and shuffle away. Instead, use that moment to pass along information on what you’ve accomplished, but make it brief. Say, “Just great since we finished that Atkinson project.” Then, if the boss shows interest, you can add, “I was working 90 hours a week to get it done, but the payoff was worth it.” Be alert, and take
their cue- if they’re interested in your initial pitch, take the opportunity to briefly brag about
what you and your peers accomplished.

For more information at http://www.FiveOClockClub.com