Are Office Parties/ Social Events Mandatory ?
Most office parties are not mandatory and it is not a must for you to attend. Unless stated as an official event, social happy hour events, especially outside work hours are not mandatory to attend. You can simply miss out if you want.
Your presence at these events is by choice not, mandatory or a requirement. It’s good to keep barriers between your work and personal life and office parties. Most of these parties are optional and only a way to allow employees to have fun at work.
If they are happening during office hours and have work aspects such as team building your employer may require that you attend. Your presence is hence expected and it would be better for you and your team if you attended.
Despite the interest and energy it takes to attend, consider that office parties or social events helps you make an impression, network, and survive at work.
But you don’t have to go to a party you do not want because it has been organized by your office. The parties can be really boring, take too much of your time, and may turn out too dramatic for introverts.
Benefits of Attending Office Parties
While it is not mandatory for you to attend office parties, the event may actually be of benefit to you. Attending corporate social events helps you with the following;
1. Attending Office Parties Helps Make an Impression
It is not a must to attend office social events but is highly recommended that you do. Depending on your field, position, and company culture, attending office parties may help create some impression. If you work in sales, or marketing or generally deal with people, it is important that you attend office social events, even if you hate them.
2. Parties Helps Nurture Positive Office Relations
Relationships will ultimately determine your advancement at work, more so than other achievements. Getting ahead in some fields is much more about who you know than it is about being good at your job code. So if you have just joined the company it will be beneficial for you to attend the office parties.
3. Good for Networking
The social events at the workplace expose you to networking and relational opportunities with people who largely influence your career progress. Therefore if you would wish to progress, make a point of attending office parties and impressing the top managers or the boss. It makes approaching them in the office a lot more relaxed.
4. Important for Career Survival
You may have to attend some events just as a matter of career survival or self-interest. Be selective in which ones “matter” in the company’s eyes and which ones don’t. You don’t have to go to all of them, but you should try to go to some of them. Missing the office parties may make your work harder and your relationship with your team sour.
5. Helps you Contribute to Company Culture
Attending office parties also shows you have an interest in the company culture and are willing to put the time into that culture. It shows that you are willing to go the extra mile.
People in the company put time and effort to make the holiday parties happen. Your not attending can be interpreted as disrespect.
Does Missing Office Parties/Corporate Social Events Affect Career?
Does missing companies parties affect your career? Can you be fired for missing social events at your company?
The impact of missing office parties on your career can be negative or non-existent. Making an appearance at the party and getting on the radar of key people can positively impact your career.
But it depends on the company culture and who else is showing up. Some jobs require interaction with co-workers, and/or customers. The company sets aside some resources to help facilitate that interaction and develop relationships.
However, you are not going to get fired if you don’t go to the company party. Don’t go if you’re not comfortable. It is not a must you attend office parties and this choice does not affect your work performance.
Some companies don’t mind if you attend office parties or not. Also if you feel that there are no interesting or valuable people attending, you can miss it without any impact on your career. You will not lose your job or position by failing to attend a party.
Read: How to get a Positive Performance Review
Reasons why You not Attend Office Parties/ Social Events
1. It is Not an Obligation if not Official
It is fine to not want to go to parties/nights out / lunches with work. You are under zero obligations to hang out with coworkers outside of work.
Unless stated as an official event you are not required to attend an office party such as end of year party if you do not want. You can always find an excuse to miss the event at work if you do not want to attend.
2. Dont Attend if you Generally Hate Parties
Some employees hate office parties and it is hence totally ok to miss out on them. It is not considered rude or anti-social or unprofessional when you do not feel comfortable to social interacting with your colleagues at work.
3. Attending Parties has no Impact on Career
You are within your right to reject the invitation, as it is not attached to your work expectations. Missing office parties does not and should have an impact on your career. Your employer cannot hold it against you if you do not want to attend an office party, especially when happening outside office hours.
4. If it Conflicts with Family Time
Coworkers understand that people have a life outside work and that any given colleague would rather spend that time with their friends/family than with their coworkers, especially at corporate-sponsored gatherings.
5. Socializing/drinking with Co-Workers is not Recommended
Socializing with coworkers, especially in a party setting can be risky business. Anything you say or do could be misunderstood and land you on somebody’s radar for the wrong reasons and hurt your career.
You may not even be aware that somebody was offended by something they thought you said. The risks outweigh the potential rewards. Therefore it is best not to attend these social happy hour events.
Simple Tricks & Excuses to Miss Boring Office Parties
You can give excuses to miss out on office events such as ;
1. Not Feeling Well
You can always miss out on office parties or social events with your colleagues by claiming you are not feeling well. Your employer does not expect you to show up for an office party when you are not feeling well.
The excuse is a good and polite reason that will cover for you. Even if you are not truly feeling unwell, you can manage to escape the party like this and do something else.
Read: Simple Treats for Working Moms
2. Occupied with Prior Commitments
You can miss out on your office by saying you have another prior commitment. Coincidences happen and your employer and co-workers will understand when you had an earlier planned commitment. Have a valid commitment such as an appointment, family meeting, or anything that you cannot possibly miss.
For instance, you can also say the family is visiting from out of town or need to let the dog out or give medication. Through such excuses, you can successfully avoid having to attend office parties if you hate them
3. Ghost the Party/No Communication
Another option to miss going to your workplace social event is to just miss it. Just don’t go to the party and don’t communicate with your co-workers or organizers. It is not very polite but you can get away with missing the party.
You may probably have to explain later to your co-workers the next day at work but you can always find something to say.
4. Make a Short Appearance and Leave
If you hate office parties or interacting with your co-workers at social events, you can make a temporal appearance and then leave. By coming to the party, you will not have to explain your absence. Give yourself an hour or so and then leave the party if you are bored.
Leaving after an hour should not be considered too soon. You can always claim you have other things to attend to.
People may or may not notice what time you left but will remember that you attended. This way you do not have to suffer socializing with your colleagues if you hate it.
5. Urgent Inconveniences
Most office parties happen during happy hours in the evening or night. As a working mom, the timing can be really bad, especially if you still have family commitments that you cannot delegate to other people. It is a polite way to declining the invite.
You can use the odd hours or days as a reason why you cannot attend the office party. For instance, you can say you can’t attend the party because you don’t have a childcare option or have to look after a sick parent among other reasons.
6. Be Honest that you Hate Office Parties
Sometimes there is no good reason to blame your lack of attendance for office parties. You can instead be upfront and truthful about it. Let the organizers or employer know that you hate office parties and would rather spend it elsewhere.
It is a good reason and excuse to not want to go to a work social function. It will explain your absence and you do not have to give lame excuses that may not add up. Also, people will avoid inviting you in the future and this will make it less awkward for you.
It’s best to be upfront if you have personal or family reasons (without being specific) why you can’t attend an event at the office function. If there’s a superior who understands you or seems sympathetic, you can discuss with them (in confidence) why you can’t attend all social events due to being introverted.
Read: How to Set Work Boundaries
Simples Tips on Surviving/Enjoying Mandatory Office Parties
If your office is hosting a mandatory social event at work that you hate, you can try the following tips if you must attend;
1. Network with Valuable People Only
Try networking with people that may be of help to your career in the future and ignore the others. Not everyone at the party will be of value to you professionally or socially. Doing so will help you survive office parties and get some value from them. It makes for an interesting party.
2. Get Close to your Team
Use the environment as an opportunity to build a good rapport with your team. Go to the party will a goal to make your work relations easier, fasten your career progression, etc.
Then use the opportunity that the event offers to meet your goal. Getting to know your team members better on a personal level make the party every interesting.
3. Bring a Friend to the Party
If you hate office parties or socializing with your coworkers, you can bring a friend to the party if it is allowed. As such you will have someone to talk to or dance with and you do not have to put up with your coworkers.
You will end up enjoying the office party this way than if you went alone. It can turn out to be a very interesting time.
4. Arrive Late and Leave Early
Take the most minimal time at the party. Arrive late and leave early. You can arrive as late as you want, even by 2 hours. It is okay to be later and it is not mandatory to come.
Intend to be the last to arrive and the first to leave. No one call you out for leaving the party early. It is ok to leave as early as you want you can cite you have other commitments. Aim to spend a maximum of one hour at the party.
By doing so you do not have to suffer the awkwardness of partying with your office colleagues for long. No one can blame you for not attending and you do not have to stay till you are too uncomfortable.
