Company Party Etiquette: 10 Things to Know

If you’re new to the professional world, or if you’ve just started a new job, there aren’t many events more anxiety-inducing than an upcoming company party. These gatherings tend to carefully toe the line between “personal” and “professional,” putting you in an office setting with your coworkers while still demanding you to relax, have fun, and be yourself.

Learning how to navigate that line with grace and tact is important if you want to make the best impression, but don’t fret—the line is easier to walk than you might think.

Types of Parties and Gatherings

First, let’s go over some of the types of parties and gatherings you might see in your company:

• Private gatherings. If your boss invites you and a few coworkers over for a dinner at their house, it’s a private gathering. These tend to be more casual, but also demand different etiquette.
• Employee appreciation. These events are things like Christmas parties or company dinners, designed to reward and celebrate employees. They’re intended to be relaxing, but still professional.
• Corporate milestones. Corporate events, including award ceremonies and celebrations of milestones, tend to be more professional in nature.
• Client appreciation. Client appreciation parties are attempts to forge a better connection with clients. They require professionalism, yet personality.
• Teambuilding events. Teambuilding events range from formal to casual, but tend to be fairly personal events designed to bond employees together.

Practical Etiquette Tips

Now for some tips that will help you survive:

RSVP—but try to show up.

If you’ve been invited to a company event, you should do your best to show up (barring emergencies or highly important events in your personal life). Either way, make sure you RSVP early and accurately, so you don’t interfere with party planning.

Dress appropriately.

Event dress codes can be difficult to guess—especially if you’re new to this company’s culture. The nature of the event, the size and scope of the audience, and the company’s history and culture all play a role in deciding what’s right here. If you’re in doubt, ask someone you trust who’s been to an event like this before, and if the dress code is still in question, err on the side of formality.

Know what to bring.

You probably won’t have to bring anything to a client appreciation party or teambuilding event, but don’t show up empty-handed to a private gathering. Bring a bottle of wine, a dish to share, or a host/hostess gift to show your appreciation.

Eat and drink with others.

Try to match what others are eating and drinking. If your boss stops after one drink, have one drink. If people are getting just one plate at the buffet, stop at one plate. Standing out could damage your reputation, however slightly.

Restrain yourself.

Don’t let the after-hours environment allow you to get too comfortable. Telling an inappropriate joke, getting too raucous, or engaging in questionable behavior—even at a party—could be bad for you.

But be personable.

At the same time, don’t treat this like a corporate meeting. Share personal stories, laugh with other people, and try to forge some new personal connections—especially at a client party.

This is your chance to get to know people you might otherwise never interact with. Go out of your way to mingle with your coworkers and clients; you’d be surprised what opportunities for advancement you can find here.

Watch the time.

For most parties, it’s expected for you to show up fashionably late. But for most corporate events, it’s better that you be on time. You also shouldn’t be the first to leave; watch others to set expectations on how long to stay.

Show appreciation.

Show your host, bosses, or coworkers your gratitude for the chance to attend the event; the smaller the event is, the most important this is.

Come to work the next day.

If you call off work the day after an event, or show up late, people will think you’ve partied too hard or acted irresponsibly the night before. Come to work on time and prevent this from affecting your reputation.

You’re not going to get fired for making a small mistake, nor are people going to think less of you for one small deviation from the norm, so try not to sweat your first big corporate event. Once you’ve been to a few, you’ll be more confident in your company’s culture, and you won’t have to think so hard about how to dress, talk, and act around others. In the meantime, these simple rules and suggestions can help you land a more powerful impression, and more importantly, help you feel confident and comfortable in what is otherwise an intimidating environment.