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Its Christmas time! There’s no need to...oh, there’s a 'no singing' rule? My bad!

Christmas parties are a chance for all of us to celebrate the end of yet another challenging year of work.

There are plenty of resources about what employers should do to avoid any pitfalls with Christmas parties, but employees also play a big part in making sure that Christmas parties go well and are memorable for the right reasons. We all play a part in ensuring that we have an enjoyable Christmas party and can go to work with our collective consciences clear!

So here are some non-burdensome and non-intrusive things for employees to think about to make sure everyone can enjoy their Christmas party.

Watch the drink

There's often alcohol at office Christmas parties, and we can all be guilty of over-indulging from time to time. (Been there!) So it helps to be mindful of what you’re drinking and how much you’ve had.

Alcohol-related issues can take away from what's a pleasant office party. So, to play your part in avoiding potential problems, it's a good idea to keep an eye on what and how much you're drinking, and know your limit.

If you don’t drink alcohol for religious, cultural or personal reasons, or simply because you don’t want to, then don’t feel pressured into accepting alcoholic drinks. You don’t have to give a reason if you don’t want to either. Remember: 'no' is a complete sentence.

The same goes if you’re encouraging a colleague to drink, but they're choosing not to for any of the above reasons. Don’t pressure them into drinking if they don’t want to.

Curb the gossip

I get it. We’re out for an evening, we’re having fun, and we feel like we’ve got some freedom to be looser with what we chat about.

It may be inevitable that office Christmas parties can involve or lead to workplace gossip, and it can be harmful to relations between employees, as well as between employees and employers.

No one wants to be talked about at work because of something embarrassing said or done at a work party. These things hang around like a bad smell. So, just as you don’t want to be gossiped about, no one else does either – be mindful of that as it may impact your relationships and reputation in the office.

The day after

Depending on what day the office Christmas party is scheduled for, it's likely that the morning after may be rather unproductive.

Employers will probably communicate expectations around attendance the next day, should a Christmas party fall on a weekday evening. But keep in mind that if you're expected to go to work the next day your employer may expect the same output from you.

If your employer understands that we’re all slowing down and expectations of staff this close to Christmas are lower, then that’s helpful. Or if you booked annual leave for the day after the night before (smart move!), then you won’t need to worry about this.

But, regardless, the key here is respect for the workplace and your employer. They've been good enough to put on a Christmas party for staff, so the best thing you can do is show respect by being ready to start work the next day as normal. This means getting in on time, performing your duties the same as any other day, continuing to represent the company as best you can, and delivering the best service possible for clients. It'll help you and your reputation in the company to be mindful of this.

Don’t be a wally!

This one is a catch-all, but a good piece of life advice for all situations anyway.

Christmas parties are a good time to let our hair down, but it's not an excuse to let our behaviour slip. Again, nobody wants to be talked about in bad terms.

The safest approach is to keep in mind that you'll be representing your employer wherever you go for the Christmas party, whether the party is one put on by the employer, or one that employees have spent their own time and effort and money to put on.

Networking and relationship building are key skills for lawyers. Positive relationships take time and effort to build, and one wrong move can turn that relationship sour very quickly, perhaps to the point where it's irreparable. And once gone, that could mean a lot of incoming work that’s gone too!

Perhaps the venue you use could become a client of yours or the firm’s, so it makes sense to behave as if you're representing the company when you’re out. 

Get home safely

Make sure you know how you’re getting home once the night is over.

The company may arrange for taxis to take people home, or some may agree to be the designated driver. 

No doubt there'll be plenty of others having Christmas parties at the same time as you, and it's likely that they will also be 'getting merry', which can lead to some unpredictability on the streets of whatever town or city you're having your party in. So, having a plan of how to get home after your party is done or you’ve had enough means that you’ll be safe, away from the unpredictability of others out for parties as well, and you can wake up in your bed the next morning with no regrets

You know the age-old saying? When the fun stops, stop!

To put it short, stay safe, have fun, and have a Merry Christmas!