Christmas Parties
Author:
Aoife Curtin
Every year, the Christmas party season brings out scores of seasonal experts and countless surveys with scary stats and wise words to protect us all from incurable embarrassment. Now, with the renowned Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants Christmas lunch almost upon us, it’s time for all merry-makers to take heed once more.
And if research from a UK drinks company is to be believed, typecast ‘risk averse’ accountants pose the greatest threat to all as accounts staff are the most likely to go haywire at the office do!
The poll also revealed:
• Of all the office types - the mature and married are most likely to behave badly
• When it comes to office romances, most revellers said they would like to have one with a workmate they hardly know rather than someone they know well.
• 47% of respondents said they would not be taking their partners to the office bash. Most said they felt it would cramp their style.
While there is plenty of evidence of fun and frolics at the office Christmas Party in the UK, RecruitIreland.com conducted research to shine a spotlight on it in an Irish context.
Irish workers at the office party
Overall 82% of all respondents admitted to consuming too much alcohol but among women the rate rises to 85% while among men the figure drops slightly to 80%.
When it comes to biting their tongue however male respondents seem less capable of keeping quiet than women. Whereas just 3.4% of female respondents said they resigned at the office party, 5% of male respondents have resigned at an office Christmas Party. Aligned to this, 28% of male respondents have admitted to telling the boss what they really think of them! Women appear to be more discrete with just 17% of female respondents telling the boss what they think.
The research also shows that office romances keep tongues occupied at office parties with 42% of all respondents admitting to having a romantic interlude with a colleague. Curiously though, more women than men admitted to romance at the Christmas Party. 46% of female respondents and just 37% of male respondents admitted to having a romantic encounter at the office party.
Back to the accounts staff - and costs
Aside from the cost of hosting the annual Christmas blow out, the most significant cost of Christmas parties was the cost of Christmas hangovers. Believe it or not, but Norwich Union Healthcare actually calculated the cost in lost productivity and sick days. Yes, its official, over indulgence at the office Christmas party cost UK businesses €100m in 2002 because 2 million workers called in sick after the Christmas party!
Basic rules to survive and thrive….
Ivillage.co.uk put together some basic rules to survive and thrive at your party. So abide these rules and your annual cringe-worthy affair might turn into a pleasant experience!
Don’t drink too much. Either avoid alcohol altogether or decide on your limit and stick to it by drinking slowly or switching to soft drinks.
Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say on a normal day in the office. Avoid …
• I’ve never liked you
• I’ve always fancied you
• Why won’t you promote me
• I could do your job with a paper bag over my head
Don’t trust your own judgment if you suddenly decide the office casanova is a nice bloke who just needs the right woman, or realise you fancy someone you’ve been working alongside. Chances are that it’s Christmas lust and you’ll regret it horribly later.
Don’t gossip. Resist the impulse to criticise that over-the-top outfit, to speculate over who fancies who or to let it be known that you think so-and-so is about to get the push.
Don’t wear clothes that reveal parts of you you'll later regret showing off to the office junior.
Remember
Do stay cool, calm and sober. Have fun and enjoy, but keep your wise head on too.
Do keep a sense of humour. Laugh off pressure to drink more and those inevitable roars from drunken colleagues to do a party piece.
Do dress in a way that makes you feel attractive without being tacky
Do give out goodwill. Say nice things about the people you work with - as long as you mean them.
Do plan to deal with any lusts or loathings you feel later on in the cool light of day. Grudges should be sorted, passions can be followed up and can even work out, but parties and drunken nights out are not the place to do it.
One final note, if you do blow it, do the best you can to make amends. A note, apology or explanation can help. If all else fails and you do get your p45 remember there’s always a better job on RecruitIreland.com!
Accountancy Ireland, Vol 36, No 6, December 2004.