Holiday Party Protocols and Recovery Plans

Last year, at the company holiday party a young woman I work with jumped on stage to join the band. She was feeling no pain after a few trips to the punch bowl. As the band thumped away she grabbed a microphone and belted out an aggressive version of the B52’s “Love Shack.”

Luckily, she could really sing and it was the best thing that happened to her career. After her performance, everyone wanted to work with her. She did not need a recovery plan because she had unwittingly created a brand as a confident risk taker. However, she is the exception to the rule when it comes to holiday parties and behavior there.

As a veteran of holiday parties I have learned a few things. Some lessons are from personal experience; some are from observing the antics of others. For those who have yet to attend the party, four simple rules always apply.

For many of you, the company holiday party already happened. If you violated any of the four simple rules, I provide a recovery plan below.

Rule Number One: Don’t get drunk.

Recovery Plan: If you broke this rule already, ask your friends exactly how bad the damage is and hope there is no video. Remember that with video, what was once considered a memory, is now evidence.

Rule Number Two: Don’t dance with your boss’s spouse. If you ignored rule number one, this is especially true.

Recovery Plan: Once again, check for videos. If there are videos and your behavior was inappropriate, say prayers for a benevolent boss. In any case, get your resume together.

Rule Number Three: No matter how beautifully you sing Love Shack or the hits of the Black Eyed Peas in the shower, it won’t be the same if YOU get up on stage with the band. Don’t join the band.

Recovery Plan: Videos will definitely be involved for this spectacle. Check out the rules on YouTube to see if it can be taken down once posted. The particular performance may dictate the recovery ranging from never showing up again to feeling pretty good that the band unplugged your microphone. Ask the friendly witnesses what happened and how you should proceed.

Rule Number Four: Use Good Judgment. When it comes to attire, the holiday party is not Halloween – dress appropriately. A Miley Cyrus outfit may seem like a good idea but you are not Miley Cyrus.

Getting too friendly with a co-worker, especially your boss, will mean future awkward moments and an eventual job search. And anything that requires calling your friends for bail money after the party will help seal the reputation that you don’t want.

The company holiday party is a true annual spectacle. It was designed as a reward for working so hard all year. It is a time to introduce your date to those you work with all year and for he/she to associate a name with a face. The only “DO” required for the party is to show up, mingle and have a good time.

If you haven’t had the party yet, don’t miss it. You need to go. Just don’t make yourself the spectacle everyone will be talking about for months and, hey, have a good time.

If the party happened and you don’t remember it, see the recovery plans above.

Marco Jara

Delivery Manager at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise

10y

First, I agree with most of the things said BUT I do believe that senior management also has to show some understanding too- specially with young staff members. Some hard working individuals sometimes lose restraint and perhaps behave unwisely. If this is a one off, perhaps a little talk during the party could help the individual rather than wait for youtube vid afterwards. I found this article interesting because some time ago I came across a similar article but from a different point of view. The employer needs to be careful when organizing the event ; too much free alcohol, too much party atmosphere etc.. could be seen as the employer allowing the employees to indulge and be promoting such behavior and could lead to an employee suing the company rather than the other way around. In the end- moderation from all parts not just the employee. If you don't want your staff to get drunk then don't supply too much alcohol.

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Jonathan Gladwish

Freelance Management Consultant

10y

As I just have to have the last word......not really, but I was looking at my company's facebook page this morning https://www.facebook.com/pages/60K-International-Contact-Centres/152684333629?id=152684333629&sk=photos_stream#!/pages/60K-International-Contact-Centres/152684333629?id=152684333629&sk=photos_stream and thought I'd just share the photos taken by staff at our Christmas party and I think they sum up the thoughts I originally posted

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Teresa Adams

Technical Support Specialist

10y

I am very fortunate to work for a fabulous company where drinking, dancing, and merriment are a good thing at the holiday party. I had a wonderful time! It was held in a beautiful venue and certainly was not an annual “spectacle,” which implies so much negativity. If they're serving alcohol, drinking is expected. Falling down drunk where you can't walk and have a conversation is a huge mistake. Who is carrying you out? If you dance with your boss or their spouse, it may be because there is a close relationship there. Don’t be so judgmental about this. There may be folks reading this article that need advice to keep out of trouble with colleagues. Let's face it; some people need clear rules like this because they don’t know better. It seems most of the commenters have common sense.

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Jonathan Gladwish

Freelance Management Consultant

10y

Further to my last comment and having read the others that followed I came to a conclusion which seems to tell me why we never have a problem at our Christmas parties or other events that we hold, for example Family Fun Days and BBQs for staff and their families. If you have the right Company Culture in place, open and honest and combine this with employing the right people, you never have any problems as described in the article as Happy People know how to have fun and be Happy.

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Michael Bostick

Desktop Publisher at Labcorp

10y

OK, I know I am likely going agaist the grain... but a company party is not the place to get complete and utterly-stupid-boofy-blitzed. You should not come away needing a contingency plan. You should not have to apologize for antics that send you scurrying for youtube deletion policies. All that said, that doesn't mean you don't go and enjoy yourself. Yeah, I know, it's nice to *really* cut loose once in awhile. A person needs to vent or shake a tail feather every now and again. But, if the company is footing the bill, it's their BBQ, hoss. And so you're also a guest which means that there are still lines you *do not* cross. And if you can't party without getting three sheets and a blanket to the wind, then maybe something else is amiss... (yes, that's my not-so-humble nickle's opinion)

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