10 Ways to Avoid Being “The Talk of the Water Cooler” at the Holiday Office Party

For Immediate Release: December 6th, 2011

10 Ways to Avoid Being “The Talk of the Water Cooler” at the Holiday Office Party

December 6th, 2011 – TORONTO, ON – 'Tis the Season' for Holiday Parties! As we all know there is always that one employee who stands out from the crowd and behaves completely inappropriately at the annual Holiday Party. We have all heard tips of “How Not to Behave” hundreds of times before, however according to the statistics below, company staff still aren’t listening to sound advice to stay out of trouble.

A recent survey of Office Holiday Party Goers, conducted by TorontoJobs.ca found that:

• 79% of party attendees have witnessed extreme cases of intoxication by co-workers
• 67% observed co-workers inappropriately dressed for the occasion
• 63% of party goers observed unsuitable behavior (co-workers flirting, associate verbal fights, etc.)

Given the stats, TorontoJobs.ca felt it was necessary to emphasize appropriate behaviour. Our top 10 tips include:

1. Show up. Don’t pass up the invitation to the annual Holiday Party; not attending could hurt your reputation.

2. Dress appropriately. Remember this is a Holiday Party and work function not a Saturday night club outing with friends.

3. Drink in moderation. 1-2 drinks at maximum. Excessive drinking could be cause for future complications within the workplace.

4. Absolutely no gossiping about other co-workers – you never know who is listening. Keep in mind that with the evolution of social networking; news travels fast!

5. Create a conversation that doesn’t involve business. Research current news and show your co-workers you have a life outside of the office.

6. Don’t flirt. An office party is the #1 time NOT to try and swing a date with the girl from Accounting or the guy from Sales.

7. Watch your language. More people than you think take offense to profane language.

8. Eat carefully. Nothing screams unprofessional like shrimp sauce on your shirt.

9. Avoid controversial topics such as politics and religion.

10. Don’t overstay your welcome. Arrive shortly after the start time and mingle but don’t overstay your welcome by partying until the wee hours of the night.

TorontoJobs.ca is a full-service recruitment organization, including TorontoJobs.ca Online Job Board, Recruitment Division and Outplacement Services. The local focus and advanced features make TorontoJobs.ca a vital asset for both job seekers and employers within the Greater Toronto Area.