How to behave at a corporate party?

6 main rules on how to behave at the corporate party and after it

Corporate parties in companies are considered a mandatory event for employees. New people get acquainted with each other, communicate with their superiors, than establish a relationship of trust. Despite the ordinariness of the event, not every employee knows the basic requirements for it.

Behavior at the event

There are certain rules of conduct at the corporate party, about which it is worth knowing before coming to the evening.

General rules

They should be adhered to regardless of the theme of the event and the number of guests.

Attire for the party should be chosen based on the theme of the evening, place and time of the event. For corporate parties at a restaurant, women are suitable evening gown, and for men – pants and a shirt, a tie is not necessary.

IMPORTANT: it is not recommended to choose bright colored and frank clothing.

For the tourist base suit sports, but high-quality clothes. It must be comfortable. At the same time it is required to match the status. Wearing old sweaters and ski pants is also not recommended.

To be late to the corporate party even for five minutes is considered bad form. According to the rules of business etiquette – for all meetings you need to arrive on time, better in advance.

It is recommended to come in 5-10 minutes to put yourself in order after being on the street. This is especially important in winter or in rainy weather.

Informal conversation does not imply that the conversation should touch personal topics. Discussions of spouses, relationships, parenting should be avoided so as not to provoke the interlocutors into conflict.

TIP: It is better to choose neutral topics of conversation – the theater, books, movies, music.

1. Do not provoke conflict

Each employee has his or her own preferences in a particular area. It is unethical to speak sharply negative about other people’s tastes. Thus, it is possible to provoke a conflict and hurt the feelings of the interlocutor.

If the invitation does not specify the possibility to come with a couple, you should come alone, unaccompanied. Since the corporate event is only for the company’s employees.

If the interlocutor does not go into contact or he is tired, you should not impose and tire him with conversations and prove your opinion on various issues.

With management

Courtesy and sensitivity are also necessary in relations with the boss. Following some rules will help the employee not to harm his own career.

1. An active position

If the boss discusses some project, movie, training or book, a favorable opinion will have a beneficial effect.

STAFF! You should not discuss sensitive topics – religion, politics, money.

1. It is strongly not recommended to ask for bonuses and wage increases.

Such behavior can serve badly and even become a reason for dismissal. There are other effective ways to ask your boss for a raise.

1. It is forbidden to pester the boss.

Such a relationship will only aggravate the employee’s situation and become an occasion for gossip or dismissal.

TIP: It is worth complimenting the organization of the event.

There is no shame in this, on the contrary, attention to decor, the selection of dishes and the efforts of superiors will contribute to the good disposition of the management to you.

With colleagues

How to behave at a corporate party with your colleagues in order to build relationships and breed allies at work? We’ll find out below. In any case, you should not trust your coworkers too much, so that conflicts do not arise.

Ground rules:

• Do not tell everyone and everyone about your problems. This is exhausting, but even worse if after such frankness, rumors and gossip will spread around the organization. It is better to protect your reputation by not giving away details of your personal life and relationships.
• Do not speak harshly about colleagues’ opinions on certain things. Such behavior could on the contrary set the team against the disputant.

EXACTLY! Loyalty and neutrality – the best position at the corporate party.

At the new collective

A new collective is always an unfamiliar environment for an employee. Those who come here sometimes feel uncomfortable and uncomfortable. After all, it is not yet clear what employees usually do at a corporate party in the organization.

In this case, you can adhere to the following rules:

• names – it is better to know colleagues by name, even if the comer is a newcomer to the team;
• Activity – it is not necessary to stand aside, expecting the colleagues to come up and start communicating.

TIP: Showing an active attitude can help with your career and building relationships in the team.

To please a male colleague

The corporate party is also useful for dating. A woman should not argue with a man she likes, but an active position and a reasoned opinion can make a favorable impression on a colleague.

IMPORTANT: It is not recommended to have a relationship with the boss, as this will have a negative impact on the professional career.

If a woman knows about a man’s hobbies, an informal meeting is a great excuse to talk and discuss her favorite hobbies, movies, books. The man will understand that the woman shares his interests and will get interested.

It is better to behave with dignity and delicacy. You should not pester the man, put pressure and lead him by the hand to dance against his will. Such behavior will only alienate the man.

How not to get drunk?

When drinking alcohol you should remember about your own weaknesses. Avoiding strong drinks (such as vodka) and large amounts of alcohol, you can prevent unpleasant consequences.

TIP: There are always snacks at events, including hot meals or salads. Food should not be neglected.

Diluting a serving of alcohol with plain water helps you not get too intoxicated. You should refuse alcohol altogether, citing ill health or a poor perception of certain drinks.

Sneakily, you can replace alcohol with non-alcoholic drinks – apple juice, mineral water. During the fun, employees are unlikely to notice who drank from which bottle.

Behavior after the event

After the corporate event, many employees hide their eyes and do not know how to justify their behavior. But the best behavior is to behave calmly and continue to work for the good of the company.

If you embarrassed yourself and became ashamed

There are several points to which you should also pay attention:

• If the employee does not remember what happened, he will be told about it by his colleagues. In this case, it is better to refer to the strong alcohol. If everything is calm, then you can continue to work;
• if the employee had too much alcohol, but no one was hurt by it, it is likely that others were in the same state. No attention should be paid to this.

TIP: If the person was carried literally in the arms, it is worth to thank the driver and offer to dry-clean the car interior if the employee suddenly got it dirty.

Now you know how to behave after the corporate party – the main thing is to remain self-confident, calm and remain delicate in communication.

General tips of a psychologist

What to do if the corporate event was unsuccessful, too much alcohol, or the behavior of the employee went beyond business. To these questions, psychologists give some advice.

1. Apologize – this is acceptable when the relationship between employees is close. Friends or friends. Then, it is better to discuss the past evening and apologize.
2. If colleagues made a photo – turn everything into a joke or refer to a state of unclear consciousness.
3. If you’ve had too much to drink, it’s not a good idea to show up at work in a hangover or to point this out to your colleagues.

IMPORTANT: The best thing you can do is continue working as if nothing had happened.

Useful video

We suggest watching an entertaining video on the topic of behavior at the corporate party:

Attending informal meetings will help in the career and building relationships with colleagues only if the employee behaves attentively and decently. Pointing out mistakes, making fun of and switching to personalities can only aggravate the situation and lead colleagues to conflicts.

It is always worth remembering that there is still work to be done in the team after the corporate party. Proper behavior at the meeting will protect the employee from unpleasant consequences and gossip among colleagues.

How to behave at a corporate party: psychologists’ tips

How to behave at a corporate party not to damage the reputation and maintain good relations with colleagues? A holiday party can ruin your image and even be a reason for dismissal. Who to go with, what to wear and how to behave at the party, told the leading experts in the field of etiquette and psychology of corporate relations.

What is a corporate party and whether it’s necessary to attend it

Corporate party is a festive collective event for employees, which is arranged by the company or organization. Such meetings most often have a specific purpose.

What are corporate parties and what are they for

The purpose and direction of a corporate party is determined by management. Corporate parties can be:

• Intellectual, educational, gaming;
• sports, competitive, tourist;
• meetings of the teams with their managers;
• Family holidays, events for children of employees.

Corporate parties allow to communicate in an informal atmosphere, to get to know colleagues in a non-working atmosphere.

Here are other tasks of corporate parties:

1. Expression of gratitude, motivation for further work, encouragement of staff.
2. Increase of loyalty to the management.
3. Strengthening the team spirit, team building.
4. Building relationships between employees.
5. Formation of corporate values.
6. Adaptation of new employees.
7. Psychological release.

Maxim Batyrev, a famous manager, writer, winner of the awards “Commercial Director of the Year”, “Manager of the Year”, “Business Author of the Year” and “Business Speaker of the Year” says that corporate parties should be organized to celebrate the results achieved or other important dates that concern the company.

Is it necessary to go to corporate parties

The organization of the event requires time and material costs. Therefore, refusal to attend a party is considered by the management as a sign of disrespect.

Writer Lera Galiullina in her book “A very useful book about. the body” writes that it is necessary to come to the party, even if there are tense relations in the team.

When can I skip the corporate party? Pay attention to the way in which the event is prepared. If this is a celebration of the achievements of the company, the anniversary of the organization, to which all employees and management are invited, then you can not skip corporate party.

You can refuse to attend if the party:

• Is arranged exclusively for employees;
• Does not carry a special corporate load;
• Does not pursue the purpose of increasing work motivation;
• It is planned as an entertainment event with a minimal program.

Warn the organizers in advance. Justify the refusal, give a valid reason. At the same time “I do not drink”, “I do not like parties”, “It will not be interesting” is not suitable.

How to prepare for a corporate party

Think in advance about the outfit, visit a beauty salon. Before the holiday create a good mood.

If corporate is arranged as a sporting event and is held in the lap of nature, will be appropriate sportswear and shoes. When the event is themed, choose an outfit in accordance with the theme.

If you’re going to attend a corporate party, then choose a dressy, but not overly sexy outfit. Exclude frank and tight clothing, deep cleavage, mini, high slit.

Psychologist, psychotherapist, writer, broadcaster Natalia Tolstoy does not recommend wearing overly expensive clothes and accessories. Such a demonstration of prestige will cause envy of colleagues and will cause deterioration of relations.

A couple or a solo?

Going to a corporate party with a partner or alone? Take into consideration the direction of the celebration:

1. For family corporate parties, you should definitely come with your other half.
2. When the event is dedicated to corporate purposes and the organizers have announced that you can come with your spouse, the question of joint attendance should be decided in the family.
3. If the corporate event is organized in a closed format and is held exclusively for employees, go unaccompanied.

Rules of Conduct at the corporate party

That after a holiday and at you and at colleagues remained pleasant memoirs, adhere to certain rules of etiquette.

Come on time

To be late to the corporate event is a bad tone, especially if a certain placement in the hall is assumed.

• To be perceived by the management as disrespectful, contemptuous attitude to the company’s business and to the management;
• interrupt the speakers’ speeches;
• To break the regulations of the event.

Come to the corporate party at least 10 minutes before the specified time. If there are inclement weather conditions outside, make a temporary allowance for them and leave home earlier.

Behavior at the corporate party

How to behave at a corporate party to create a good impression? Here are tips to help you feel comfortable at the party:

1. Leave your right hand free to say hello to those around you.
2. Introduce new employees, introduce each other to people who work in the organization but have not previously been introduced to each other.
3. Do not talk, eat, or pour drinks when those present make speeches or toasts.
4. Be considerate of your tablemates, but not intrusive.
5. Participate in the entertainment.
6. Have fun, be natural.

Galina Borozdina, candidate of philosophy, associate professor, writer, in her book “Psychology and Ethics of Business Communication” warns that at corporate events it is not customary to clink glasses. If the ritual is practiced in the company, the man should hold the glass below the lady’s glass.

Communication with the management

The manager is one, and there are many employees. Everyone wants to come up to congratulate or emphasize the achievements of the company.

Rules of conduct at the corporate party: Pixabay

Adhere to these rules in communication:

1. Address them by “you” and their first and middle names.
2. Do not make a long speech.
3. Think through what you want to say and formulate sentences.
4. Behave in a low-key manner.
5. Communicate in a friendly format, but keep the chain of command.

It is categorically forbidden to solve work moments and have long conversations with the manager.

Communicating with Colleagues

Compliment your colleagues, praise your employees for their achievements, appearance: people like to hear nice things about themselves and talk about their victories.

Topics of conversation may vary: parenting, vacation destinations, travel, health, family. Respect the value system of the interlocutor.

Psychologist and author Rami Bleth in his book “The Alchemy of Communication. The art of hearing and being heard. Selected Proverbs” writes that you can not touch topics that conflict with the views and beliefs of the interlocutor.

Here’s what not to do when communicating with colleagues:

• make jokes about controversial topics;
• criticize;
• discuss the personal and professional qualities of colleagues, management;
• talk about bonuses and salaries;
• talk about personal problems;
• discuss intimate life of co-workers.

Sincerely smile, keep a good mood. Speaker, author Vanessa Van Edwards in her book “The Science of Communication. How to Read Emotions, Understand Intentions, and Find Common Ground with People” explains that a bad mood is quickly transmitted to those around you.

Liquor and Food at a Corporate Event

Ability to drink and behave properly at the table will form a good impression of the person. Don’t refuse a treat, but don’t pounce on the food either.

How to behave at a corporate party: Pixabay

To look good:

• Quench your hunger at home;
• Put no more than three snacks on your plate;
• Avoid “dangerous” foods that stain your clothes, crumble or get stuck in your teeth;
• Don’t talk with your mouth full;
• keep your hands clean.

You don’t have to give up alcohol, either. In the category of those who do not drink at the corporate party fall such people: the driver of the bosses, pregnant women and those who can not drink for health reasons or because of convictions.

Here are the rules of drinking alcohol at a party:

1. Don’t drink more than two glasses of wine.
2. When you realize you are intoxicated, go home.
3. Don’t forget to snack.
4. Choose low-alcohol cocktails.
5. Do not mix different alcoholic beverages.

Writer Tatiana Belousova in her book “Etiquette. The complete set of rules of social and business communication. How to behave in familiar and unusual situations” writes that you should not start the evening with champagne or sparkling wine. They are considered to be heavy drinks and will play a cruel joke on a person, making him quickly goof off.

The corporate party is a great opportunity to build relationships with colleagues and have a good time. Listen to the advice of psychologists, and the party may be a new stepping stone to professional prosperity.

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