Office Christmas Party…how to attend with style.
Corporate holiday parties can be stressful and unappealing for some people in an organization. However, you may be committing a huge faux pas and sabotaging your chances for advancement by not attending. Attending shows you are a team player. It is the opportunity to get to know those you don’t know well or have time to chat with during your regular business hours. And it is a chance to meet some of the spouses and significant others in your co-workers’ lives.

It is a bad idea for an employee not to participate, but an even larger mistake for a boss not to show up, without a very good reason. Not attending sends the message that bosses don’t really care about their employees and that they set themselves above those who work for them — a huge insult in my book. And if that is the message that the employees take away from their absence, it can damage the employees’ perception of how much they feel they are valued and how hard they want to work for the company. Corporate cultures and attitudes start at the top.

So, here are some tips to get you through the party and make it more enjoyable for everyone.

• Be sure to respond to the invitation and let the planners know whether you are bringing your spouse or a guest, only if they are included in the invitation.
• Dress for the event. This may be the time to jazz it up a bit with your attire, but be careful not to get too sexy.  That plunging neckline may not be forgotten on Monday morning. Ditch your jeans…dressing appropriately shows you care.
• If you bring your spouse or a guest, be sure to introduce him or her to your coworkers.
• Mingle! This is a perfect time to meet others in the company you don’t usually have the opportunity to see.
• If you are one of the bosses, circulate and don’t just hang with the other bosses.
• Pace yourself when it comes to alcohol consumption. You don’t want to be the topic of conversation on Monday morning.
• If a meal is involved and you are ordering off a menu, go middle of the road with price. Ordering the most expensive thing on the menu can look as if you are taking advantage.
• Thank your hosts upon leaving and send a handwritten thank-you note the next day.

So when that invitation arrives for the company party, say yes to going. Happy holidays!