Labor / Employment, On The Job

3 Lessons On Holiday Parties From 'The Office'

Consider these tips and avoid the mistakes that our good friends on 'The Office' pointed out for us.

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Steve Carell as Michael Scott of The Office (via Wikimedia)

Michael Scott and the rest of the folks in the Scranton branch had a holiday party every year. The booze flowed unchecked and everyone typically cut loose for a few hours. This time of year, when firms and companies are having their annual holiday parties, we can all learn a few valuable lessons from our good friends over at Dunder Mifflin.

  1. Don’t drink so much that you set your hair on fire.

As is often the case at holiday parties, alcohol was usually served at the Scranton branch’s holiday party. This of course led to some awkward situations (usually involving Meredith). For example, there was the time that Meredith drank so much that she accidentally set her hair on fire while dancing, and Dwight (of course) had to save the day by spraying her with a fire extinguisher.

I understand that it’s easy to over-indulge at your holiday party. You’ve worked hard all year, hit your billable targets, and now you want to throw down like it’s your senior prom. After all, it’s free booze!

But before you go all Meredith Palmer and drink your bodyweight, you’ve got to keep in mind that even though you might not be in your office or it’s after hours, you’re still effectively at work. What you do at your holiday party can get you fired or ruin your chances at a promotion. And so please, pace yourself. Most bosses aren’t as forgiving as Michael Scott.

  1. Don’t hit on or hook up with anyone from your office.

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Remember the time that Meredith drank way too much and flashed her boss, Michael, at the end of the party? What about the time Kelly kissed Dwight during the holiday party? Or the time Robert California pressured Erin into pounding shots? Or when Meredith asked Dwight to spank her with his Belsnickel switch?

I shouldn’t have to remind anyone of the sexual harassment allegations that have been making headlines for the past couple of months. I shouldn’t have to tell anyone that companies are truly taking a hard line against sexual harassment in the workplace. A lot of people, however, operate under the assumption that what they do outside of the office and/or normal working hours won’t or can’t have legal consequences at work. Those folks are sadly mistaken.

Hitting on your co-workers, subordinates, or anyone else at a work function can constitute sexual harassment, even if it occurs offsite. Some examples include making sexually explicit comments (even if sent via text message or social media) and all manner of grabbing, pinching, and/or poking. All of this should be a hard no. The fact you’re intoxicated, that the conduct happened outside of working hours, or that it went down at a non-work location will not be a defense. There’s a fair chance of you being fired and you creating a liability risk for yourself and your firm.

  1. Keep the party religiously neutral.

One year, the Scranton branch threw a Moroccan-themed holiday party. Michael told Kelly Kapoor that the party is what it would be like if she hadn’t left India. Kelly was obviously offended for a lot of reasons. Another year, Phyllis dressed up like Santa and Michael, not to be outdone, dressed up as Jesus (who, according to Michael, “has the power of flight [and] can heal leopards”). Angela and pretty much everyone else was offended.

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With the increased diversity in our workplaces, there’s a larger representation of different religious beliefs, customs, and practices now than ever before. Having a holiday party with a religious theme can alienate people and make them feel excluded. There’s also a possibility that making attendance mandatory at the holiday party with a religious theme could set up a religious discrimination claim. So, play it safe and keep religion out of your holiday party.

I hope you’ll consider these tips and avoid the mistakes that our good friends on The Office pointed out for us. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

evan-gibbsEvan Gibbs is an attorney at Troutman Sanders, where he primarily litigates employment cases and handles traditional labor matters. Connect with him on LinkedIn here, or e-mail him here. (The views expressed in this column are his own.)

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