The company holiday party can be a surprisingly useful opportunity to enhance your career prospects and make valuable contacts. But it is important to get the balance between work and play right.
How do I approach the party?
“Remember that the Christmas party is not work,” says David Pendleton, a founder of Edgecumbe, the organizational psychologists. “It’s a completely different way to interact with people who you may normally only discuss tasks with, but it’s still a work event.”
Networking expert Carole Stone says it is an opportunity to build on existing relationships and to talk to colleagues that you do not normally deal with. “It’s an opportunity to look sideways outside your area. You never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll learn,” she says.
How do I work the party?
“The biggest area is connections and networks,” says Simon Hayward, managing partner of Cirrus, the employee engagement specialist. “It’s also an opportunity to use a bit of disclosure and to find out a bit about people and to build a bit more trust. Trust is a huge enabler.”
But Mr. Hayward says there is no point faking an interaction. “Don’t be manipulative, be genuine and have fun together. It allows barriers to come down so you can know people on a more intimate level,” he says. “When you make those intimate connections, it means you can offer favours and pull in favours. It removes formality and can be much better than a business meeting. There’s value to the individual and the organization.”
What about talking to senior people?
“If there’s someone you want to meet, this is the perfect opportunity,” says Mr. Hayward. “The layers of the organization are much vaguer. But remember it’s a party – make conversation interesting and genuine, don’t just pursue an agenda and don’t forget the marketing director is human.”
Ms. Stone says being tactful is important. “If you are sitting next to the CEO don’t say: ‘I have this idea.’ Rather, talk to them, then at the end ask if you can send them an e-mail or drop in to see them,” she says.
How formal should I be?
“Don’t be a party pooper,” says Ms. Stone. “Talk to everyone – and if you drink, have a couple of drinks.”
Mr. Pendleton warns, however, that the situation will dictate the level of formality – so be careful about alcohol. “You can be a bit bolder, but be personally sensitive like you would at any social function,” she says. “Avoid the mistletoe and don’t drink too much – in whole company events, serious errors of judgment get around like wildfire.”
How should I follow up with people I’ve met?
“Drop them an e-mail afterwards,” says Mr. Pendleton. “Remember: relationships are fed by regular contact. Send them a link that might be of interest or follow them on Twitter. It takes 15 seconds. Technology has made following up so much easier.”
