Our Survey Reveals The Biggest Office Christmas Party Do’s and Don’ts

It’s that time of year! Office Christmas parties can be one of the best work events. Everyone gets into the Christmas spirit, has fun, and enjoys themselves heartily during the festive season. But what if this is your first Christmas party ever, or you’re simply feeling a bit rusty when it comes to social occasions?

Worried you’ll make a bit of a fool of yourself on the dancefloor when things get into full swing? Want to clean up a raucous reputation? CoursesOnline conducted a survey to find out the do’s and don’ts for an office Christmas party. 

We asked people what the worst thing you can do at a Christmas party is and 33% of those surveyed said that saying bad things about your boss is a big no-no.

It’s a good rule of thumb to follow that you should still try and keep things professional during an office party. Although it’s good to let your hair down, you’ll have to face the consequences of any rude remarks you make once you all come back for the New Year.

Our survey found that 55% of people have said something they’ve regretted at an office party. A bit of banter can be fun, but be wary of taking it too far as this can undo all of the goodwill you’ve built up since last year through all your hard work during your Christmas party do. 

We also asked what the best thing you can do at an office Christmas party is. We found that 11% of people said that telling your colleagues how much you like working with them was a great thing to do. Meanwhile, 33% said that making friends with colleagues from different departments is one of the best things to do. 

The top choice was to include everyone in conversations, with 55% of respondents saying that this is the best thing you can do at a Christmas party. Spotting anyone who looks a little lost or on their own and bringing them into your chats is always a good idea. 

Office parties can also be a good time to get some solid connections with higher-ups or colleagues in different parts of the business. In fact, all of our survey participants agreed office parties can be a great way to network and make new connections.

Plenty of conversations happen at office Christmas parties, and different opinions on topics can be had with such a unique mix of people. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but you can make life easier for yourself by avoiding specific topics that might be divisive. 

In our survey, 11% of respondents said that politics should be avoided as a topic of conversation. It’s good to be passionate about current affairs, but sometimes it can end up sparking debates that end up dampening the mood.

Meanwhile, 88% of our participants agreed that office gossip or chatting about rumours surrounding co-workers is a big no-no at the Christmas party. Gossip in any situation can be hurtful and it can end up spoiling someone’s night entirely if they’re in earshot. 

Did someone give you the chance to put on a few tunes? Although Christmas parties often feature a bit of dancing, people might not all share the same music tastes. 

Our respondents said that songs with excessive amounts of swearing or songs that featured inappropriate lyrics should be avoided.

Also, respondents pointed out that songs that will have been heard hundreds of times around the Christmas period (i.e., All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey) shouldn’t be overplayed at your Christmas bash.

All respondents to our survey agreed that people generally drink more at an office Christmas party. So with that being said, if you’re going to go to the bar, what should your limit be? 

Well, there’s no clear answer. In our survey, 33% said a few beers, a couple of glasses of wine, or two mixers was the right amount. However, 33% also said that five pints, a bottle of wine, or multiple mixers was the right amount. Surprisingly, the remaining third said that both options combined, plus shots was the sweet spot. 

The best thing to glean from this is that people can vary wildly on what they think is the right amount, so it’s best just to watch what people are doing around you and follow them as a guide. Don’t be one of those people who have their head in their hands the following day! Think about how your actions will be remembered the next day and in the coming year.

Bear in mind that the chief cardinal sin of office parties we found from our survey was getting too drunk, with a whopping 66% of respondents saying that this was the worst thing that you could do at a work Christmas party. So mind how you go on that mulled wine!

Secret Santa is a fun part of any Christmas party, but it can be tricky to work out what to buy your colleagues. Although it is anonymised, you still want to avoid getting something that might not be to someone’s taste. 

Some of the worst things respondents in our survey have received included bacon flavoured candy, sudoku toilet roll, and a puzzle. Although novelty items are always fun, it’s best to steer towards clever and inventive and not buy something you’d expect to find in a Christmas cracker.

Finally, we asked our respondents to give their best advice for someone who was attending a Christmas. Here’s what they had to say: