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A Free Dinner, But At What Cost?
By
Amanda Fox
It is that time of year again, the time when people working in offices receive the
inevitable, often dreaded invitation to the office holiday party.
On the average, many of us spend about forty hours a week at work with our co-
workers and employers. The main bulk of five days of every week is spent at work, not to
mention the travel time and preparation involved in getting to and from work. While part
of the joy, if you will, of working, comes from the relationships formed with our fellow
employees, the pleasantries exchanged and the coffee breaks shared are enough to
sustain many of us as far as spending time with our work friends goes. I personally do
not want to spend more time after work attending office functions. As far as showing that
I am part of the team, I am confident that I do enough of that when I am actually at the
office, and I do not feel that my personal evening or weekend time should be an extension
of my day at work. Furthermore, the word “obligation” should not be associated with
going to a party to enjoy oneself.
A nice holiday lunch would be a welcome change to many employees, especially
those who have far to travel to get home and do not wish to make their workday or night
last until after midnight.
Some people like the opportunity to let loose with their work friends and even
bosses, and this is where the over-consumption of alcohol at office parties comes into
play. While alcohol is offered, it is done so with the unspoken understanding that those
who go overboard with it, even in the slightest, will be judged and gossiped about the
next day at the office, and in some cases, will even face sanctions or dismissal for
drunken behaviour at work social functions.
Even the way people dress at office parties can be awkward. While a plunging
neckline may be appropriate at other social gatherings, it is often frowned upon at work
parties. This begs the question, is this really a party, or is it merely a glorified workday,
and in that case, perhaps we should be putting in for overtime.
In the past, when I have decided not to attend an office party, friends at work have
tried to make me see reason by reminding me that “It’s a free dinner.” While some
people may jump at the chance for a free dinner, there are others of us who realize that
that free dinner comes with a price. I am not saying that having dinner with people that
we actually like at work would be unpleasant, but neither would changing into something
comfortable and relaxing at home.
Like it or not, in order to make a good impression and not have any regrets the next
morning, we must remain guarded at all times at the office holiday party, regardless of
the relaxed attitude of our peers and even of our superiors. Since we have to remain in
character as if we were still at the office, we might as well do that while we are required to
be at work anyway, and have one day where we can look forward to taking a three-hour
lunch rather than adding an additional three hours to our day when many us of would just
as soon be at home with our families, even if that means making our own dinner.
By
Amanda Fox
It is that time of year again, the time when people working in offices receive the
inevitable, often dreaded invitation to the office holiday party.
On the average, many of us spend about forty hours a week at work with our co-
workers and employers. The main bulk of five days of every week is spent at work, not to
mention the travel time and preparation involved in getting to and from work. While part
of the joy, if you will, of working, comes from the relationships formed with our fellow
employees, the pleasantries exchanged and the coffee breaks shared are enough to
sustain many of us as far as spending time with our work friends goes. I personally do
not want to spend more time after work attending office functions. As far as showing that
I am part of the team, I am confident that I do enough of that when I am actually at the
office, and I do not feel that my personal evening or weekend time should be an extension
of my day at work. Furthermore, the word “obligation” should not be associated with
going to a party to enjoy oneself.
A nice holiday lunch would be a welcome change to many employees, especially
those who have far to travel to get home and do not wish to make their workday or night
last until after midnight.
Some people like the opportunity to let loose with their work friends and even
bosses, and this is where the over-consumption of alcohol at office parties comes into
play. While alcohol is offered, it is done so with the unspoken understanding that those
who go overboard with it, even in the slightest, will be judged and gossiped about the
next day at the office, and in some cases, will even face sanctions or dismissal for
drunken behaviour at work social functions.
Even the way people dress at office parties can be awkward. While a plunging
neckline may be appropriate at other social gatherings, it is often frowned upon at work
parties. This begs the question, is this really a party, or is it merely a glorified workday,
and in that case, perhaps we should be putting in for overtime.
In the past, when I have decided not to attend an office party, friends at work have
tried to make me see reason by reminding me that “It’s a free dinner.” While some
people may jump at the chance for a free dinner, there are others of us who realize that
that free dinner comes with a price. I am not saying that having dinner with people that
we actually like at work would be unpleasant, but neither would changing into something
comfortable and relaxing at home.
Like it or not, in order to make a good impression and not have any regrets the next
morning, we must remain guarded at all times at the office holiday party, regardless of
the relaxed attitude of our peers and even of our superiors. Since we have to remain in
character as if we were still at the office, we might as well do that while we are required to
be at work anyway, and have one day where we can look forward to taking a three-hour
lunch rather than adding an additional three hours to our day when many us of would just
as soon be at home with our families, even if that means making our own dinner.
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