Tips for enjoying the holiday party as a supervisor

Before being promoted, Suzie always looked forward to the annual holiday party. It was a chance to hang out with work friends in a relaxed setting. But this year, it’s different. Suzie’s a supervisor now and afraid being at the party will hamper the fun for team members. Susie’s also intimidated by having to talk to superiors in a social setting. Suzie’s thinking of staying home. Here are some tips for Suzie and any other new supervisors experiencing party panic:

1. Definitely go. Don’t think your employees would have more fun without the “boss” around. Use the opportunity to show them your fun side.
2. Don’t show them too much of your fun side, however. Getting sloppy drunk could cause your team to lose respect for you. A good rule of thumb is to not drink any more than you would at a business lunch.
3. Don’t play favorites. Maybe you click better with some team members than others, but take this opportunity to talk to everyone.
4. Talk about something other than work. And listen more than you talk by asking questions.
5. Don’t talk about politics, religion, or other “hot button” issues. Instead, ask about families, pets, movies, hobbies, and other safe topics.
6. Mingle with other teams and departments.
7. Say hi to management and the folks from Human Resources (HR). The people who promoted you want to know that you’re doing well.
8. Thank whoever planned (and paid for) the event on behalf of your team.
9. Make a graceful exit if things start to get crazy. (You might want to make sure your team members all have safe rides home before you leave, however.)
10. If some of your team members don’t attend, a quick, “Hey, we missed you at the party,” the next day is fine. Rehashing every detail with those who were there, however, might make the person who missed it feel like an outsider.