Donna Flagg

Holiday Parties 101: Avoiding Pitfalls and Maximizing Opportunities
November 30, 2007

With holiday festivities picking up steam and celebratory parties sprouting up everywhere, the best way to avoid problems in the aftermath of the season is to set up some ground rules beforehand. There is nothing wrong with stating, for instance, that getting inebriated is probably not the smartest choice one could make in a professional environment – party or not. Not because drinking should be forbidden per se, but because it is risky to engage in behavior that could alter judgment while in the company of bosses who have the power to make future decisions that affect people’s lives.

We’ve all heard a horror story or two about a holiday party gone bad – a sales guy takes a dare to perform a striptease on top of the bar, the CEO’s assistant trips on her way out the door and remains face-planted on the sidewalk and of course, some junior staffer invariably vomits on someone among the senior ranks. 

So a note of caution! Make sure employees understand that they drink at their own peril, and may very well cross that critical point-of-no-return that leads them to debilitating embarrassment at best, and a career-ending move at worst.

That’s only part of the potential cost, however; and it is typically one paid by the employee. But what about the financial cost incurred by the company? Why not turn the money spent on year-end celebrations into an investment capable of producing a return? Here’s how:

1. Combine the party with some sort of activity that involves everyone. This is a powerful culture-building tool and can also be skill-building at the same time.
2. Create cohesion by sharing stories, taking pictures or videos and connecting employees to them after the fact. This works well as a means to bring the levity back into the actual workplace.
3. Boost morale by recognizing people for special contributions and highlighting notable team accomplishments. This is a good time to shine a light on those who deserve a public pat on the back.

Remember, not only are holiday parties an opportunity to bring employees together for a good time, they can also be a potentially rich employee development opportunity as well.

Posted by Donna Flagg on November 30, 2007 | Comments (0)