Office holiday parties. Billed as a “thank you” for your year of hard work but often a test of your ability to socialize just enough without being labeled “that guy” or “that girl.” According to a survey of 3,000 Georgia managers, workers don’t always pass this unspoken test—especially after a second glass of eggnog.
The number-one career sin? Drinking too much booze. The rest of the list reads like a rulebook for behaving, but mostly surviving, the work holiday bash.
The Full Countdown:
1. Drinking Too Much Booze – The open bar is free. Your dignity is not. Slurred speeches, stumbles, and overenthusiastic toasts can outlast the hangover.
2. Not Showing Up – Because nothing says “team player” like showing your face at a party you didn’t plan to be at in the first place.
3. Flirting with Co-Workers – Pro tip: That office “crush” is not as charming in the fluorescent light of Monday morning.
4. Oversharing Personal Gossip – No one asked for the story about your cousin’s terrible wedding or how your boss micromanages every spreadsheet.
5. Bringing Leftovers Home – Yes, you paid for the buffet with your labor, but helping yourself to a week’s worth of food is apparently “too much” for your stingy manager. Likely because it reminds him that his “valued employees” can’t afford groceries anymore.
6. Inappropriate Dancing – If the move has a name, it probably shouldn’t happen at the party.
7. Bringing an Uninvited Plus-One – It’s not a family cookout. Respect the guest list. Bringing a plus-one is a reminder that you are human and not a cog in a machine. Managers don’t like that.
8. Unfiltered Opinions – “What I really think about the company” speeches don’t age well.
9. Gift-Giving Fails – There’s a fine line between “thoughtful” and wildly inappropriate. Avoid gag gifts.
10. Social Media Missteps – Sharing photos of the HR manager moonwalking could make Monday morning awkward—for you and them.
11. Aggressive Networking – Save your pitch for a formal meeting. No one wants to hear about your “next steps” by the punch bowl.
12. Disrupting the Speech – Heckling your boss during their toast? Bold move. Bad one, too.
13. Cliquey Behavior – The office party is a chance to mingle, not reenact high school cafeteria politics.
14. Wardrobe Malfunctions – Festive is fun; malfunctioning is not. Double-check those zippers.
15. Winning Ugly – Celebrate your raffle win quietly. Nobody likes a sore winner.
Why This Matters To You: Holiday parties are presented as a “thank you” to workers, but let’s face it: they’re often a test. Managers watch and remember. Pretend it is a regular day at the office.
Recover Like a Pro: Did you end up on the office party naughty list? Don’t sweat it. Own it, laugh about it, and move on:
• Apologize to anyone who deserves it—a quick “My bad!” usually does the trick. Unless your manager hates that phrase. Then use somethign else.
• Add humor: Beat the gossip mill to the punchline.
• Move forward: Everyone else is too busy worrying about their own gaffes.
The Real Takeaway?: It isn’t really a party. It is an office holiday function. Unfortunately, most managers don’t stop managing (or micromanaging) after 5 p.m. Your boss is still your boss, even at the mandatory corporate holiday function.
