An etiquette expert has revealed her top tips on how to avoid embarrassment at your work Christmas party, from what to wear, how much to drink — and how to dance.
This holiday season, employees across the globe will be getting ready for their annual company shindig — hoping to avoid a career-ending faux pas.
Laura Akano, who is a principal coach and etiquette trainer at Polished Manners, has shared her advice on how to leave the party with a professional reputation intact.
Once you have received your invitation to the festive bash, Laura says it is crucial to reply as soon as possible to let planners know how many people are attending.
When planning your outfit, she says the most important thing is to make sure you stick to the dress code on your invitation.
The London-based expert said: “I would always say please follow the dress code and dress appropriately.
“Particularly for ladies, you need to make sure you are comfortable. Do not wear a dress or skirt that you will be constantly pulling down or up. You will not enjoy the party.”
Laura says there is nothing cool about showing up fashionably late, so to make sure you arrive at the time stated on the invite.
She said: “There is really nothing great about saying that you are fashionably late.
“If there is a time on the invite you should get there on time because it is still a work event. It doesn’t look good on you to be late unless there is a very important reason.”
After entering the venue, Laura recommends doing a lap to greet your big bosses, particularly anyone involved in planning the evening.
She added: “It is always a good thing to go and greet other people and say hello. Especially the team of people who have organized the event.
“It is a great start to go say hello to them and thank them for putting everything together. Then perhaps take the opportunity to find people you don’t normally work with and get to know them.
“It is good to greet people and have them see that you have attended, particularly the senior managers.”
In these conversations, Laura believes it is best to avoid heavy work topics and keep the chat light and fun.
Recommended topics include the venue, décor, and holidays.
She said: “The key topics to avoid are [trashing] the company, and work gossip.
“You want to keep the conversations light and fun as it is a party atmosphere. It is still a work event so you must maintain a level of professionalism, but there are so many other things to talk about.”
The most commonly asked etiquette question on this topic, according to Laura, is how much alcohol is appropriate to consume.
The expert says the key tip is to know your own limits, but she recommends sticking to a few glasses of wine and definitely avoiding shots.
She said: “People really need to know their capacity for alcohol. Some people will drink half a glass of wine and get tipsy while others drink half a bottle and don’t feel any difference.
“A workplace party is not a place where you get drunk and don’t know what you are doing. You could end up embarrassing yourself and the company as a whole.
“You need to stay in control and make sure you remember all your actions.
“I certainly would frown upon doing shots. Stick to a glass or two of wine.”
When it comes to food, whether it is a sit-down dinner or a selection of appetizers, it is important to still look elegant.
For finger food, Laura says it is best to hold your glass in your left hand and to take canapes one at a time.
She also recommends that you greet everyone before heading to the food table, as it is difficult to mingle while stuffing your face.
If your party has a sit-down dinner, then she says it is best to brush up on your table manners, making sure to put your phone away and chew with your mouth closed.
When eating your meal, Laura says it is important to keep an eye on those around you as you don’t want to keep people waiting if everyone has finished their meal and you are still eating.
She added: “Those things can matter, especially if you are dining with senior managers. People do pick up on all of these things.
“If you have poor table manners then you probably aren’t someone they are going to send to see a client or take a client out for dinner.
“Little things like that can make a difference.
“You should always try to eat at the same pace as those around you.”
When the food is finished and it is time to move the party to the dance floor, Laura says you should definitely join in — as long as you don’t try to show off with your moves.
The biggest mistakes people can make when dancing after one too many drinks include getting up on the table and grabbing the microphone.
Laura said: “You should definitely dance at a Christmas party — within moderation.
“This is not the time to be the life and soul of the party and try to show off. If you try and do your best moves, you might end up embarrassing yourself.
“Even if you are not a dancer it is polite to join in when everyone is dancing. Even if it is just a few shuffles on the floor at least it shows you are a member of the team.
“The caution is for people who have consumed too much alcohol already and think they will be the entertainer in a very embarrassing way. We have all had stories of people who jump on a table or something and then they are the office gossip for the next few weeks.”
At the end of the night if any sparks are flying between colleagues Laura advises not to start any form of office romance — as they tend to end badly and cause a lot of problems.
In terms of when it is time to leave the venue, etiquette is not too strict, as long as you don’t overstay your welcome when staff have begun cleaning up.
