Unfortunately, we’re not all lucky enough to be born with the natural gift of the gab or extrovert enough to be seen as the life and soul of the party! Instead, the introverts among us often view the approach of the annual work party as a daunting social minefield, but don’t worry.
For those of you anxiously awaiting this semi-professional soirée, we’re on hand with our top tips and tricks to help you not only survive these affairs, but thrive!
Plan your party attire
Thinking about what to wear to the big work party? Start early! Instead of throwing on any items that aren’t in your laundry basket on the day of the event, it’s important to opt for an outfit that you feel both confident and comfortable in.
Wearing irritating materials, unflattering garments or tight clothing can make you feel uncomfortable, awkward and restless – feelings that are guaranteed to distract you from letting loose and having fun!
Take it slow on the spirits
While your immediate reaction in a social situation might be to reach for another drink, it’s often best to avoid drinking too much – especially if your nervous! One drink too many and you might alienate co-workers with a mis-judged joke or even ruin your professional reputation, so it’s best to keep a level head.
Instead, we recommend taking it slow and pacing yourself. A great trick for keeping an eye on your alcohol intake is to alternate between alcoholic beverages and water. Alternatively, asking for a drink of straight lemonade or coke in a mixer glass can give the impression that you’re still enjoying an alcoholic tipple without actually increasing your alcohol intake.
Consider your conversation
If you’ve always struggled to strike up a conversation with your colleagues, then why not do your research beforehand? By researching topical points of conversation or even brushing up on the latest light-hearted news, you can seamlessly join in with work party conversations regardless of how well you may or may not know your colleagues.
Learn to listen
Even if you’re not a natural conversationalist, you can still survive the work party by making the most of your listening skills. Instead of striving to be the loudest voice in the room, we recommend taking a step back and listening to others.
Start with open-ended questions that encourage others to talk about themselves, thereby taking some pressure off yourself and effortlessly creating conversation. You’ll find they probably ask the same questions back to you and the conversation should naturally flow from there!
Don’t arrive alone
For those who tend to avoid big social gatherings, showing up to a work party venue alone can be a challenge. To put your worries at ease, we recommend making plans with a friend from work to either grab a drink before the frivolities officially begin or share a ride to the venue. This way, you won’t be showing up on your own and you’ll have a close colleague on hand for social support.
Formulate an exit strategy
When you feel your social battery waning, it’s important that you don’t feel pressured to stay too late into the night where you run the risk of dampening the party spirit. To prevent this, we suggest creating an effective question-proof exit strategy prior to the evening, so you can leave the party at a time that suits you.
Regardless of whether the babysitter has to leave at midnight or you have an early morning meeting the next day, coming up with a solid exit reason can help you to avoid peer pressure and stop socialising once you’re ready for bed!
Familiarise yourself with the venue
Another way to make yourself more comfortable with this year’s work party is to get to grips with the layout of the venue – particularly if you’ve never been to the venue before. Ensuring you know where their private hire/party room is located along with other facilities such as the bar, toilets and cloak room can take some anxiety away from walking into your work party.
Book your Work Party with The Bierkeller
If your workplace has been searching for a lively and entertainment-packed venue for their work party, why not suggest The Bierkeller? The perfect place for corporate events, hen parties and more, we have central locations across the UK including Liverpool, Manchester, Halifax, Nottingham and Birmingham.
Whether you prefer an exciting oompah show or a gaming extravaganza, surviving your next work party needn’t be difficult with The Bierkeller.