The dos and don’ts of the office holiday party

Holiday parties are just around the corner, coming up an Etiquette Expert tells us the major do's and don'ts.

The office holiday party season is underway.

While it is a chance to gather with colleagues and celebrate the Christmas and holiday season, an etiquette expert warns too much holiday cheer could impact your future at the company.

Etiquette expert Julie Blais-Comeau dropped by CTV Your Morning Ottawa to share some etiquette tips to keep in mind before you head to your office holiday party.

What should you consider before going to the party?

“Holiday office party – the key word is office,” Blais-Comeau said.

“So, you want to consider your reputation. What do I want people to say when I leave, when I come in. Why am I invited? You’re invited to go and spread joy, to congratulate, to go and thank. We are not there to go and address grievances, complaints.”

Blais-Comeau says it’s important to consider your future at the company while attending the party.

“That legacy that we’re going to leave at that holiday office party could certainly impact your performance review, so you want to keep that in mind.”

Holiday party fashions

Blais-Comeau recommends finding out details about the dress code for the office party before heading out to buy a new outfit or searching your closet for something to wear.

“Sometimes we want to go with little festive accessories. That little touch, that little accessory –dress a little touch above,” Blais Comeau said.

But she suggests asking yourself, ‘Do I want to put on Rudolph’s red nose?’

“Come performance evaluation/the performance review is that the image that the boss is going to have about me. Everything that you do, that you say at that holiday office party could be rewound,” Blais-Comeau said.

“It’s like a TV reality, and when they sit down and think about you, think about that promotion, is it aligned, number one, with the values of the organization.”

Blais-Comeau says you should dress for the location and time of the day of the party, whether it’s at a fancy hotel or restaurant or an outdoor event.

Challenges of the office party

Blais-Comeau says there are many challenges to navigate at the office holiday party, from conversations about politics to the etiquette of social media pictures from the gathering.

When it comes to taking pictures for your Instagram, Blais-Comeau recommends taking a photo at the beginning of the night.

“Let’s talk about social media. Let’s all gather, take that one selfie and then put it away. Make that commitment to your peers,” Blais-Comeau said.

“And if you’re going to take some more, please before cheese - ‘May I take your picture. I’m going to post it on my Insta, do you want to do that?’”

When it comes to navigating conversations at the holiday party, Blais-Comeau admits there are “sometimes slippery conversations” to handle with colleagues. She recommends this response if there is a private, personal conservation you feel uncomfortable with.

“I’m a pretty private person – if it gets too close to comfort with a question,” Blais-Comeau said.

“And number two, you also want to be able to keep it safe for everybody. You may want to say, ‘you and I can agree to disagree. I’m a Habs fan, you’re a Sens fan, why don’t we focus on spreading joy during the party.’”

Blais-Comeau recommends using the party to meet with colleagues you don’t see face-to-face every day, including new employees or co-workers who celebrated something big through the year.

Time to leave the party

“You don’t want to be the first go, neither do you want to be the last to go and, certainly, you want to go and thank (the bosses) before you go,” Blais-Comeau said.

She recommends thanking your immediate supervisor and the “big, big boss” at the company for hosting the party and recognizing the organizers and volunteers who put together the party.