Party At Your Own Risk

The annual company Christmas event is just days away and you’re counting down the minutes until you can let loose. Just be sure you party responsibly…you do want to be allowed back to work on Monday, don’t you? Here's some Christmas party advice from the experts:

• Make sure you attend as your absence will be noticed, especially by your boss
• Try not to talk shop - think of a few non-work conversation topics - sports, concerts, holiday plans, family and vacations are all good subjects
• Steer away from inappropriate topics of conversation like discussions about politics and religion
• Do lots of dancing - if you stay on the dance floor you will drink less and burn off more calories
• Pace yourself – don’t drink your way to the bathroom toilet - you want to get sensibly silly with your piers, not out of control
• Managers should be careful not to make any promises at the party that could be a legally binding, contractual commitment
• Arrange a ride home or take a cab

Laura Demasi in The Sydney Morning Herald puts it best. "It's often at the office Christmas party that we commit our most embarrassing behavioural and sartorial crimes." Don’t let that person be you!