One in three workers have to front up at work the day after the Christmas party, according to research from travel and lifestyle website Lastminute.com.au.
While most Christmas parties are held on Friday (48 percent) and Saturday nights (19 percent), a third were held on weeknights, meaning employees would have to face the morning after at work.
In results that surprise no one, the survey revealed that one in two people confess to drinking too much. Other faux pas respondents sheepishly admit to includes belting out a carol at karaoke (23 percent), succumbing to a cheeky kiss with a colleague under the mistletoe (16 percent), and going home with a co-worker (7 percent) are all included.
A small number also take this drunken opportunity to stick it to the man, with 6 percent telling their boss what they really think of him/her.
Other cringe-inducing moments of glory and anecdotal hilarity that came out in the survey include: someone damaging their eyesight by photocopying their face and having to wear an eye patch for a month, an employee throwing up in the boss’ car, and a solo Macarena performance on the dance floor to witnesses crying with laughter.
Lastminute.com.au offers some tips to get through the Christmas party unscathed:
- Party snaps: Make your appearance in party snaps at the start of the night but avoid the lens as the night progresses. Remember, where there’s a camera, there’s the inevitable Facebook upload.
- Room at the inn: If the party location’s a bit of a trek, consider booking a hotel for the night to avoid the clashes for taxis at this peak time of the year.
- Social media no-nos: Avoid giving a running commentary of events on Twitter. Once you hit send, there’s no going back on that ‘witty’ tweet, and it might just come back to haunt you the next day.
- Preparation is key: If you have to face work the next day (or an early morning wake-up call courtesy of small children), go easy on the alcohol, and alternate with water to stave off that hangover. If that doesn’t work out, Plan B is to have Berocca, eye drops and change for a jumbo-sized coffee ready to go in the morning.
The survey of 500 Australians also revealed that one in five businesses won’t be throwing an annual holiday shindig for staff, no doubt to their detriment, as 91 percent of people believe a Christmas party boosts staff morale.
Survey spokesperson Kristy Harrison said: “A Christmas party is the perfect way to show staff your appreciation for their hard work during the year.”
