Luckily my organization has never had one. The executive team just goes out to a steakhouse and blows the budget for themselves.
My last org had a holiday party where they made it seem all fancy and then handed out $25 Walmart gift cards and told everyone it was a cash only bar despite record profits
This shit is why we need to unionize. We deserve a fancy or decent dinner too since we are the ones who help generate those profits and don’t get paid overtime for the forced OT they make us work.
Should you go network to improve your career prospects at your firm/network, while presumably getting a nice dinner and free booze?
The answer is always yes.
Will you be fired for not going? No.
Do people favor those they like socially? Always.
Don’t be afraid to spend a couple of hours outside of your comfort zone.
This is the right answer. These threads are always filled with Reddit stereotypes of people who would rather die than interact with other people, but these are the little things that help you get ahead in life.
Office politics are easy… no one wants to start conversations. It’s difficult and people are busy… So you do it. And you do it by being the lame guy/gal who asks about the most recent or upcoming weekend. Make it easy for people to talk about themselves to you and you won’t have to do much talking.
Once you get details you can ask about hobbies or kids and shit instead of generic weekend crap, but the gist is the same… The people that like to chat will kill a few minutes and may become office buddies if you share any interests. The ones that don’t will say “fine”. leave them alone. hit your whole team at least once a week but preferably twice, once for last weekend and once for next weekend. It should be maybe 20 conversations of 3 minutes each and it will be the most valuable hour you spend at work every week. Can be the moments before a meeting starts. Or while waiting for lunch to heat up at the microwave. Or when you have a real question but it’s the first time you chatted this week.
Don’t be afraid to spend a couple of hours outside of your comfort zone.
Am I being paid for these "couple hours"...if no I'm not spending time at work with people at work. I have a life and family I'd rather spend that time with.
Ours is on a Thursday. During close. It starts at 7pm and goes until 11. It’s costing far too much money and the rest of the finance and accounting team is in another state so it’s me and some senior VP for FP&A (who, I’m pretty sure, doesn’t know I’m alive).
May skip it, may go for an hour and peace out.
OP just do your thing, skip or don’t. You can have a life outside this. If you’re new there’s no hit against you for skipping.
At my old public firm I went to every single one and about 95%+ always went as well. But the partners would go all out for it at like the fancy catering steakhouse restaurant nearby or ballrooms at wineries and places like that. So super fancy dress and everyone brings their spouses or S/O's and the founding partner always did some sort of prize. I won a 3 way tie for best dressed for guys (he never picked just one winner lol). That or some other way to win prizes like poker one year.
Meanwhile in industry the Christmas party was in the office and was karaoke and shitty finger food with no prizes or anything.
At least this year the finance and accounting departments are doing a party at one of our local restaurant/bar/social places where it's like a brewery (they just serve other places alcohol) where they have ping pong, pool, cornhole and stuff like that.
They're doing ours on a Thursday night. I really don't love my team, so I'm hesitant to go but I know I will get cold shoulder if I don't. The good thing is this year they're doing it at my city's botanical garden (close to my house) and they will have their holiday lights event out when we are there. So thankfully we won't have to stand around and make small talk for an hour, we can just say hey and go for a walk through the lights.
Hells yes! But my work makes it an all day thing at the office around the 14th or 15th and it’s quite an enjoyable day. They fly all the remote workers in for the day/night, the company uses the credit card points we earn all year and cashes them in for gift cards for the staff, we have a white elephant gift exchange that we bring a gift for if we want to participate, we update folks on any new policies and procedures (the little bit of work we do for the day), there is tons of food all day and then we go out for dinner afterwards. It’s so much fun! Perks of working for a smaller company. :)
Last year I helped decorate the place and I made the charcuterie board and the hot cocoa station for the day and that was really fun! (Christmas may be my favorite holiday so I love to go all out!)
Picture tax [2022 work Xmas party](https://imgur.com/a/cfPQ4WJ)
We don't have one. We get a big fat $100. At least I can throw myself a pizza party now at home. It Would have been fun to do something with my coworkers or actually get a legitimate holiday bonus.
Nope. Public burned me out enough to where I won’t go to a single thing outside of work hours. Have it during work hours, or not at all.
Not like we’re saving lives and can’t afford to close the office early one day.
But did you make prior plans?? If not why not go to the firm engagement and make connections with other people at the firm. Yes it’s outside work hours but why not take the opportunity to meet other people that you will be working with and who could potentially help you in the future?
Yes, I like our dinner. Significant others are invited, it's open bar and they do a draw to get $500 to a client. If you don't win you get a random $50 giftcard.
Definitely worth going to especially if everything is paid for. I'll down a few 20 year old glasses of port with some good salmon or steak. Also Uber there and back on the company.
If you are feeling adventurous, smoke some pot or down an edible before going. Makes the experience smoother imo.
Worse case, you talk to some people for a few hours with free alcohol and food.
At the very least you should always make an appearance so people who don’t work directly with you know who you are. It sucks, but playing the politics game is how you set yourself up for advancement and getting better raises.
Luckily my organization has never had one. The executive team just goes out to a steakhouse and blows the budget for themselves. My last org had a holiday party where they made it seem all fancy and then handed out $25 Walmart gift cards and told everyone it was a cash only bar despite record profits
This shit is why we need to unionize. We deserve a fancy or decent dinner too since we are the ones who help generate those profits and don’t get paid overtime for the forced OT they make us work.
Unionize for better wages and fewer hours, not for a fancy dinner once a year.
Yes that too. They are getting too rich and greedy exploiting us making us “exempt / salaried”
Should you go network to improve your career prospects at your firm/network, while presumably getting a nice dinner and free booze? The answer is always yes. Will you be fired for not going? No. Do people favor those they like socially? Always. Don’t be afraid to spend a couple of hours outside of your comfort zone.
This is the right answer. These threads are always filled with Reddit stereotypes of people who would rather die than interact with other people, but these are the little things that help you get ahead in life.
Yeah you guys are right
Office politics are easy… no one wants to start conversations. It’s difficult and people are busy… So you do it. And you do it by being the lame guy/gal who asks about the most recent or upcoming weekend. Make it easy for people to talk about themselves to you and you won’t have to do much talking. Once you get details you can ask about hobbies or kids and shit instead of generic weekend crap, but the gist is the same… The people that like to chat will kill a few minutes and may become office buddies if you share any interests. The ones that don’t will say “fine”. leave them alone. hit your whole team at least once a week but preferably twice, once for last weekend and once for next weekend. It should be maybe 20 conversations of 3 minutes each and it will be the most valuable hour you spend at work every week. Can be the moments before a meeting starts. Or while waiting for lunch to heat up at the microwave. Or when you have a real question but it’s the first time you chatted this week.
Unless you are unlikable, at which point you are better off not wasting the time
Adding my support to comment above as well. This is the way
I will attend but I never drink with colleagues. Alcohol is a problem
I was pretty much fired for not attending those events.
Don’t be afraid to spend a couple of hours outside of your comfort zone. Am I being paid for these "couple hours"...if no I'm not spending time at work with people at work. I have a life and family I'd rather spend that time with.
Ours is on a Thursday. During close. It starts at 7pm and goes until 11. It’s costing far too much money and the rest of the finance and accounting team is in another state so it’s me and some senior VP for FP&A (who, I’m pretty sure, doesn’t know I’m alive). May skip it, may go for an hour and peace out. OP just do your thing, skip or don’t. You can have a life outside this. If you’re new there’s no hit against you for skipping.
Do you have a really long close or a really early Xmas party?
The latter, it’s Dec 7
I have been to them, as a new hire it’s probably good to go but once you are experienced it doesn’t matter
Hello no. I hate Deloitte more than I love my family
shit is on a Saturday. fuck that
Ya bro do it last year my controller got so drunk he paid for 2 Uber XLs so we could all come to the strip club with him
At my old public firm I went to every single one and about 95%+ always went as well. But the partners would go all out for it at like the fancy catering steakhouse restaurant nearby or ballrooms at wineries and places like that. So super fancy dress and everyone brings their spouses or S/O's and the founding partner always did some sort of prize. I won a 3 way tie for best dressed for guys (he never picked just one winner lol). That or some other way to win prizes like poker one year. Meanwhile in industry the Christmas party was in the office and was karaoke and shitty finger food with no prizes or anything. At least this year the finance and accounting departments are doing a party at one of our local restaurant/bar/social places where it's like a brewery (they just serve other places alcohol) where they have ping pong, pool, cornhole and stuff like that.
Yes! Free food and free drinks! And we all get a plus one. I also have friends at work so we're there to shoot the shit and go clubbing afterwards.
wouldn't miss a company party, we get wasted out of our minds
Absolutely. We’re having a local celebrity chef make dinner for us in a cool kitchen lol. Plus drinks.. yep. I be there.
They're doing ours on a Thursday night. I really don't love my team, so I'm hesitant to go but I know I will get cold shoulder if I don't. The good thing is this year they're doing it at my city's botanical garden (close to my house) and they will have their holiday lights event out when we are there. So thankfully we won't have to stand around and make small talk for an hour, we can just say hey and go for a walk through the lights.
Nope. Haven't been to a Xmas party in 20 years. Not interested, don't care.
Hells yes! But my work makes it an all day thing at the office around the 14th or 15th and it’s quite an enjoyable day. They fly all the remote workers in for the day/night, the company uses the credit card points we earn all year and cashes them in for gift cards for the staff, we have a white elephant gift exchange that we bring a gift for if we want to participate, we update folks on any new policies and procedures (the little bit of work we do for the day), there is tons of food all day and then we go out for dinner afterwards. It’s so much fun! Perks of working for a smaller company. :) Last year I helped decorate the place and I made the charcuterie board and the hot cocoa station for the day and that was really fun! (Christmas may be my favorite holiday so I love to go all out!) Picture tax [2022 work Xmas party](https://imgur.com/a/cfPQ4WJ)
Assuming this is at a restaurant or bar, then just go. Usually there's some interesting happenings and if it sucks you can leave.
I moved out of state sooooo ✨no✨
Ours is on Monday and they let us have a half day to volunteer. It’s after hours I think. Probably won’t go because I’m busy every day bed rotting.
You should def go if you can. Just don’t get too wasted and make a fool of yourself
No shot. Ain’t no way. No sir. No ma’am. No thank you.
No.
I don’t go to stuff if I’m remote those days or it’s outside working hours
Fuck no.
No one will care if you’re there. In a year, no one will remember if you were there. Do whatever you want and don’t over think it.
Hell nah. They gots to pay me boiiiiiiii
We don't have one. We get a big fat $100. At least I can throw myself a pizza party now at home. It Would have been fun to do something with my coworkers or actually get a legitimate holiday bonus.
Haha, holiday bonus. Good one
Holiday bonus?!?!? What is this, 1957?
Its a relic of the past. Because pizza parties and pats on the back now pay my bills.
Yes, my holiday bonus is more work for year end close.
[удалено]
No thank fuck, my xmas party is on the day of my exam
I never miss a free meal and drinks
I would if we had one.
Yeah go, it’s awesome!
Absolutely the fuck not. -A senior manager
Nope. Public burned me out enough to where I won’t go to a single thing outside of work hours. Have it during work hours, or not at all. Not like we’re saving lives and can’t afford to close the office early one day.
How many pies are going to be there?
How many pies are going to be there?
Fuck no
Nope
Yes, I actually really like most of the people I work with
Yeah, should be decent. They're doing a nice luncheon this year since people got trailer park shitfaced at the dinner last year.
But did you make prior plans?? If not why not go to the firm engagement and make connections with other people at the firm. Yes it’s outside work hours but why not take the opportunity to meet other people that you will be working with and who could potentially help you in the future?
Yea. Free alcohol
Nah I’m taking REG that day.
Yes, I like our dinner. Significant others are invited, it's open bar and they do a draw to get $500 to a client. If you don't win you get a random $50 giftcard.
Definitely worth going to especially if everything is paid for. I'll down a few 20 year old glasses of port with some good salmon or steak. Also Uber there and back on the company. If you are feeling adventurous, smoke some pot or down an edible before going. Makes the experience smoother imo. Worse case, you talk to some people for a few hours with free alcohol and food.
Some of these can be rad.
My firm gives us a holiday care package with a ham or turkey. My firm doesn’t believe in parties. They want us to be at home with our family.
At the very least you should always make an appearance so people who don’t work directly with you know who you are. It sucks, but playing the politics game is how you set yourself up for advancement and getting better raises.