The holiday season has arrived and you are likely either excited, depressed or indifferent. If you are pumped about the delicious food, gifts, and fewer work days that will soon be arriving, you likely want to spread that cheer to coworkers.
Unfortunately, some coworkers won’t be nearly as excited about the cheer you are intent on spreading. Additionally, your holiday cheer at work may get you into trouble with regards to pay bonuses and gifting. Check out these five holiday season mistakes to avoid at the office as you get into the spirit of the season.
Making holiday assumptions
It may come as a shock, but not everyone celebrates the same holiday traditions as you. From Christmas to Hanukah, many traditions collide this time of year, setting the stage for friction at the office. Avoid offending your coworkers by not making assumptions about the religious affiliations of others. Religious holiday music, certain foods and religious holiday décor should all be kept at home rather than being brought into the office.
Over gifting
Don’t feel obligated to give every coworker a holiday gift. Doing so would drain your bank account and would cause awkwardness between you and those coworkers who hadn’t planned on giving you a gift in return.
Instead, only purchase gifts for your boss and close coworkers or host an office gift giving event that employees can opt into or out of.
Being gluttonous
Most of the year’s pounds are gained during the holiday season. This is typically doubly true for office workers because of the never-ending treats that appear in office break rooms in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
Avoid the gluttony by making a pre-holiday eating plan. Allot yourself a certain amount of holiday treats each week and stick to the plan by avoiding the break room as often as possible. Added caution should be used at holiday potlucks where unhealthy foods are sure to line the countertop.
Blowing a bonus
The holidays are when most employers give pay bonuses to their employees. If you will be receiving a bonus this year, avoid blowing it on unnecessary purchases by making a plan for how it will be spent. If you have debt, direct a portion of the bonus to repaying that rather than spending the entire bonus on holiday gifts.
Playing Holiday Music
Few traditions spark the spirit of the holidays quite as effectively as classic holiday music. Unfortunately, not all of your coworkers want to be spirited this holiday season and will become thoroughly annoyed with any holiday tunage coming from your computer speakers. If you must listen to seasonal music in the office, do so through the safety of headphones.
The holidays are a time to enjoy the company of friends and family while celebrating treasured traditions. Unfortunately, they are also a time when employees make major mistakes in the office. Avoid the troubles this year by following a few simple guidelines.
Leave a Reply