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CONTACT: Dave Heller; University Communications(850) 644-2065; [email protected]
Dec. 8, 2016
OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY: WILL IT HELP OR HAUNT YOUR CAREER?FSU Professor Teaches How to Make It Memorable (For All the Right Reasons)
News — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. 鈥� It鈥檚 been a long year. You鈥檝e worked hard, racked up a lot of hours on the job, sweat the details. Did anyone notice?
Maybe there鈥檚 still one last chance this year, you wonder, to remind the higher-ups of that effort at the office holiday party. Maybe it鈥檚 a well-deserved chance, you rationalize, to blow off some steam. #LetsParty.
As 2016 winds down with a celebratory office party 鈥� two-thirds of organizations nationwide will throw one 鈥� remember this line from the new comedy 鈥淥ffice Christmas Party.鈥�
鈥淭onight the decisions you make will have consequences that鈥檒l haunt you for the rest of your professional lives.鈥�
It鈥檚 a funny movie line. Not so amusing if it actually comes true.
Florida State University Professor is helping his students make office party decisions that boost a career, not haunt it. Over the years, he鈥檚 seen a few people make unfortunate office party choices that co-workers 鈥� and bosses 鈥� didn鈥檛 forget. The infamous incident becomes part of that person鈥檚 brand.
So now, Hochwarter 鈥� FSU鈥檚 Jim Moran Professor of Management 鈥� takes a day during the semester to teach his students the important do鈥檚 and more important don鈥檛s of the office party.
鈥淥ffice parties are a very good opportunity to enhance your career if you do things the right way,鈥� Hochwarter said, 鈥渁nd a really good way to kill your career if you don鈥檛 do things the right way.鈥�
Don鈥檛 Get Drunk. This is a no-brainer, or it should be. But it鈥檚 worth repeating since virtually everyone recalls an example when a co-worker got carried away at the open bar. The biggest career killer at the office holiday party is being, as Hochwarter describes it, 鈥渢he drunken fool.鈥� You not only become the topic of conversation the next day around the water cooler, you might also become the story that colleagues continue to retell for a good laugh, 鈥淩emember the time when Steve got so blitzed鈥︹��
Do Go. Attending the office party is necessary because you want to show you are part of the team, Hochwarter said. A dependable teammate. You may not be on the clock, but you鈥檙e on your boss鈥檚 radar and that鈥檚 more important in the long run.
鈥淚 tell my students the Christmas party is a work party. Look at it as work,鈥� Hochwarter said. 鈥淵ou may not want to go, but you might be ostracized if you don鈥檛 go. There鈥檚 a certain obligation to it.鈥�
Don鈥檛 Get Too Cozy with a Co-Worker: Companies are becoming more concerned about hookups at office parties, Hochwarter said, because that dynamic can spill over into the workplace and, too often, disrupt the work.
鈥淵ou go to an office party,鈥� Hochwarter said, 鈥測ou have a couple of drinks, get a little courage, go say hello and then all of a sudden they鈥檙e dating, and (bosses) are not sure about that. Or they were dating and now they鈥檙e fighting, and (bosses) know they don鈥檛 like that.鈥�
Do Make an Advance Plan: Have three or four topics you can talk about and know what not to talk about 鈥� the old adage of avoiding politics and religion at family get-togethers is just as salient at the office party. But a party can offer a rare opportunity to engage a senior executive/administrator to share a laugh and mention what you鈥檙e excited about in the coming months. Remember, keep it light.
鈥淒on鈥檛 focus on business,鈥� Hochwarter advised. 鈥淗ow are you? How鈥檚 your family? What are your plans for the holidays? It should be a social function. If you ask people work-related stuff, why do you need a party? People don鈥檛 want to do that stuff at a Christmas party. They just want to get to know people a little bit better.鈥�
Don鈥檛 Wear Inappropriate Clothing: Refer back to 鈥淒on鈥檛 Get Drunk鈥� on this one. Hochwarter believes a serious fashion faux pas can have lasting consequences.
鈥淲hen I was a faculty member at Mississippi State,鈥� Hochwarter said, 鈥渢he dean sent out a note and said we鈥檙e having a Christmas party at my house. Dress is casual. So, a guy in the Economics Department thought casual meant Hawaiian shorts. Casual in Mississippi means you can undo your tie, but he shows up in Hawaiian shorts.鈥�
And now, Economics Guy lives on in Hochwarter鈥檚 business classes as a cautionary tale.
Definite Do鈥檚: Little things matter: Smile. Be friendly. Be the first one to say hi. Remember names. Make a list of three important people you must greet before leaving. Have an exit strategy, Hochwarter stresses, if a talkative co-worker is preventing you from connecting with someone on your essential list.
Do Show Gratitude: It鈥檚 always a nice touch to find out who organized the party and thank them. Hochwarter encourages his students to take it up a notch and send a handwritten note or flowers, and he reminds them that being 鈥渞espectfully grateful鈥� is not only good networking, it鈥檚 a terrific personality trait.
So as 2016 comes to a close, think about your annual office holiday party as a special opportunity to get to know colleagues better, connect with bosses and burnish your own brand. Because as you wonder if anyone has noticed your hard work over the past year, be assured that the higher-ups are watching at the office party. It鈥檚 your chance to help 鈥� not haunt 鈥� your career.
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