Revealed: How to Have Fun and Yet be Professional at Office Parties
It is quite clear that being surrounded by co-workers and bosses often makes it confusing to find the ideal way to behave at office parties.
It is quite clear that being surrounded by co-workers and bosses often makes it confusing to find the ideal way to behave at office parties.
While some turn into party animals, others just sit in a corner by themselves and don't enjoy at all.
Neither of these is the right way and experts suggest that the key to balancing the two extremes is to be relaxed, but alert.
"You can build new friendships if you're a bit more approachable, instead of entirely inaccessible," News.com.au quotes psychologist and careers expert Meredith Fuller as saying.
Office parties are a way to showcase your social skills, which can be a precursor to new work opportunities.
"Colleagues evaluate you all the time and what they're looking for are your interpersonal skills and how you manage unusual situations," says Fuller.
However, being social does not mean letting your hair down completely.
Although you may not physically be at the office, you are still technically at work, so all the same rules may apply.
"Legally if your company puts on a Christmas party, it is considered a workplace," says Lyn Fletcher, operations director at Relationships Australia New South Wales.
Both Fuller and Fletcher agree that while most workers are there to have fun and celebrate, bad behaviour will not go unnoticed.
"This is still a work function and you're still within the work context. ormalities may drop a bit, but not to the extent that you can muck around where you might with your friends on a Saturday night," Fletcher said.
Source: ANI