Office Holiday Parties: The Fun, Obligation and Risks

With changes in the economy, many companies have reduced the budgets for or even eliminated holiday parties for their employees. Many, however, persist in offering some form of company sponsored party for employees to gather and enjoy the giving spirit of their employer. There are many varieties of work holiday parties, all of which might or might not be fun, generally imply obligatory attendance and present a plethora of risks.

In deciding whether or not to attend, a range of important considerations might be taken into account.

Do you think it will be fun? Do you want to party with your colleagues?

Parties, by definition, are expected to be a good time. Do you really expect that it will be? Do you want to spend time recreating with the people you work with and for? If not, there is good reason to carefully consider your options and to anticipate the possible consequences of your decision to either attend or not.

Is it really a choice? Are there consequences for not attending?

In some situations, attendance is clearly expected by management and one gets the feeling that attendance is taken and that those not present will get a 'black mark' next to their name on the list of possible people to be considered for promotion. This is not a paranoid fantasy in many circumstances. Although an employee may feel completely uninterested in and uninvolved with office 'politics,' they still exist.

If the party is scheduled during work hours, the expectation of attendance is even more explicit. They are paying for you to go. To not attend is apt to be taken as an inappropriately opportunistic, hostile or disloyal decision.

Does it advantage you and your career to attend?

This one is self-explanatory!

How about if the party is on your own time?