A workplace expert has urged Australians to be on their best behavior over the Christmas holidays, warning that their wild antics could damage their reputation or get them fired.
Author Dr. Michelle Gibbings told Daily Mail Australia that he wants Australians to remember that the office Christmas party is still considered to be taking place at work, regardless of where and when it is held.
“It’s work regardless of what the calendar invitation says,” he said.
“Even if it’s after hours, even if it’s somewhere that’s not your workplace, it’s still work.”
Dr Gibbings said employers’ code of conduct and employment laws “still apply” at Christmas parties, meaning any staff who breach them can be reprimanded or dismissed.
One of the ways an employee can find themselves in trouble is not the amount of alcohol they have consumed, but how they act when drunk.
“Too much alcohol can cause you to lose control of your sensitive faculties,” Dr. Gibbings said.
“Then you can inadvertently put other people in a position where they feel uncomfortable. You just don’t want to go there.
Workplace expert Dr Michelle Gibbings (pictured) said Australians should remember the code of conduct and workplace rules still apply at the Christmas party.
The workplace expert said people can do harmful and dangerous things when they are drunk and it can get them into trouble (pictured, partiers)
Dr. Gibbings added that using drugs at a Christmas party can also have serious consequences.
“Anything that is illegal is illegal at a workplace event,” he said.
‘It is very important as an employee to ignore any peer pressure and avoid getting caught up in things that will make you or someone else uncomfortable.
‘The last thing you want is for them to take you to Human Resources the week before Christmas and have to justify what happened and who you were with.
“It’s not a fun way to end the year.”
As the festive season approaches, Australians might be tempted to reach out to their office crush, but Dr Gibbings warned employees and bosses to be cautious.
“There certainly have been examples of workers being fired for inappropriate behavior and usually it involves inappropriate sexual advances,” he said.
The author said that while it is important to remember that while every context is different, it is essential to be aware of things like power imbalance.
The author (pictured) said workers should also worry about their reputation, and lowering it at a work party could cause them to miss out on job opportunities, such as promotions.
“Office romances are always problematic unless you know exactly where the other person is,” Dr. Gibbings said.
‘If you are taller than the person, you are in a really dangerous position because there is a chance that your approach could be interpreted in a certain way.
“And if it’s unwanted and that person feels like they don’t have any ability to say no, that can be construed as sexual harassment.”
Dr Gibbings warned Australians to be “cautious” when implementing his approach because something they may think is “harmless can be harmful”.
“Being too handy can absolutely amount to sexual harassment,” she said.
“You just don’t want to do anything that might make someone uncomfortable or uncomfortable and then affect your career.”
Australians should also be aware of issues such as harassment at New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“Bullying, harassment, exclusion,” Dr. Gibbings said.
“If you’re in a small clique and you’re being deliberately mean and excluding other people, that’s bullying.”
But the labor expert said that each situation is different and the context needs to be taken into account.
“Depending on how it’s done, exclusion is a form of bullying,” Dr. Gibbings said.
‘You want to be inclusive, not exclusive.
“Organizations have psychosocial safety legislation and if they don’t create a psychologically safe environment for people to come to at their Christmas party, (the company) has a problem.”
Dr. Gibbings said pranking someone or humiliating them in front of everyone could go against the safe environment.
With Australian workplace Christmas parties in full swing, employees are reminded to be careful when making a pass at a colleague (pictured, an office Christmas party on a boat)
The author said that it is the time of year when workers should safeguard their reputation and avoid doing things like gossiping.
“You can do something at the Christmas party that won’t get you fired, but will make people look at you differently,” Dr. Gibbings said.
—That casual comment you made that might have been a little funny, a little joking, could come back to haunt you.
‘You don’t want to do anything that makes anyone feel neglected. Colleagues will say, “Oh, I didn’t think that person was that.”
“Losing your reputation can damage how people view you for that next step or that promotion.”
The author’s best advice for Australians attending their workplace Christmas party is to strike a balance between having fun and remaining professional.
“Be a good human being, be inclusive, do your best, manage your reputation and then your job will be fine,” Dr. Gibbings said.