CaitlynBell
Corporate and work events are the place to socialise and engage with your colleagues in a more casual environment. These corporate events also work as great team building events where team members can come together for a good time in a more relaxed setting than an office space.
While corporate events might be the place to laugh, drink and enjoy with your colleagues, there are certain etiquette and things that those who are attending the event must keep in mind. There are some boundaries even at an informal corporate event. If you have your first corporate event coming up or you’re wondering where is the point at which you draw a line, then here are some tips and things for you to keep in mind about corporate events.
1. Dress Code and Attire
Agreed that a corporate event doesn’t require you to wear your sharp suits and ties but it’s also not an invitation to wear your Friday night outfits. Remember that it’s still the place that comprises of your office colleagues, senior managers, and leaders. You don’t want to give the wrong impression or be too casual, so make sure that your attire is appropriate. Draw a line between formal and casual attire and go for something in between the two.
Don’t take the corporate event as a party similar to the ones you go to with your friends, treat it as an official event without the workload and you won’t go wrong.
2. Drinks
This one needs to be kept in mind very carefully. Most corporate events would probably have alcoholic drinks and it’s important for you to remember that such events are not the time or place to get drunk. Manage your consumption and keep it limited. Some experts say that you shouldn’t have more than two alcoholic drinks at the official, corporate events. You can either follow this rule or just ensure that you don’t get too intoxicated and are able to handle yourself.
Getting too drunk at a corporate event can send the wrong message to your senior leaders and managers. They may not take you seriously or get the impression that you are a very casual person.
3. Meet and Greet
A corporate event is meant for you to meet, greet and socialize with your fellow colleagues, peers, and senior managers. The main aim of corporate and team building events is to get the team to interact and know each other better outside of the busy, office space and schedule. If you miss out on meeting and interacting with your team members at the corporate event, then the entire purpose of the event will get defeated. Ensure that you spend some time meeting everyone and introducing yourself to people you don’t know. These events are a great opportunity to network with new people and build your corporate circle.
4. Talk About More Than Work
While yes it’s a corporate event with all your office colleagues present in one place, avoid talking shop too much. There might be some work related conversations going on among the people present at the event but try not to talk too much about work. This is the space to get to know your colleagues outside of and more than their designations. So make an effort to talk to them about more general topics that do not make them feel like they’re back at work.
5. Avoid Office Gossip
It might be difficult to resist office gossip with all your close friends from work at the event but try and avoid it. At corporate events like this, it’s very easy to overhear conversations or end up discussing the wrong thing in front of the wrong person. In case this happens, it can be a real disaster and affect you at work later. Just avoid any talks related to office politics or gossip at the event and have more general and safer conversations.
Conclusion
Corporate events are a great and healthy way to bond with team members and those senior leaders of an organization who are otherwise quite busy and difficult to catch up with. The right etiquette at these events can ensure that you leave a positive, lasting impression on your team members and senior managers.
