or other major company social events? It's not like you'd be bailing on a conference or anything, right? However, a few people keep telling me that it may do me some harm, i.e. performance evaluation, raise potential, etc. What do you think?
Would it do any harm to not attend your employer's Christmas party...
- Thread starter NagaJolokia
- Start date
Absolutely it can. They may not officially be able to take attendance to company social events into consideration for performance evaluations, etc. There are some people who definitely will be thinking about it and 'knock some points off' if someone didn't attend. My company doesn't have events like that for staff. However, my husband has worked for companies that do and I've always encouraged him to go for that exact reason. He's great at his job and I'd hate to see something minor like not attending company social events hold him back.
You would know your management and company culture best to see if it would matter. One of the companies my husband worked for, it totally did. They were very much into appearances and how things looked. Missing things like the Annual Christmas party were big deals unless you were on a business trip. Another company my husband worked for, totally didn't matter.
I agree with Raebelle. I think it kind of depends on company culture but also where you see yourself with the company. If you think you are going to be spending quite a few years there and would like to be promoted a few times then by all means you should go because it looks like you want to be involved. If you make it a habit of not going to any of the events the company puts on then it looks like you're pretty much only interested in getting your pay check and going home every day.
Every company I or DH has ever worked for considered social interaction part of team building and it def. negatively affected those who did not attend. Once in awhile with a solid reason was fine...but the habitual non attendees had negative labels attached to them in short time.
I definitely think it hurts you. it's been my experience that upper management thinks of the christmas party as part of your "perks" for working there. also, like everyone else has said, it's part of interacting socially with your coworkers.
you should definitely go. you don't have to stay all night, but make sure your superiors see that you were there.
you should definitely go. you don't have to stay all night, but make sure your superiors see that you were there.
Our party is held during the day, during work hours so there is no excuse not to attend, but there are some people that take the day off and don't attend. People notice who they are!
If your event is after work, I'd still go. Even for a short while just to make sure that your boss and the higher ups see you.
If your event is after work, I'd still go. Even for a short while just to make sure that your boss and the higher ups see you.
^ I'm fine with going so that my higher ups see me.
The thing that I'm uneasy about is that I've been working offsite for this company ever since I started, and I've never seen nor met any other employee from this company apart from a manager and the CEO (both only twice). I will be essentially walking into a room full of complete strangers. I am bringing my SO along, so there will be company for me, but would it look awful to not interact with actual employees? I mean if they talk to me, I sure will respond and be open, but apart from that, I just don't go to parties where there will be only two people out of 100 plus that I've only been acquainted to and not know past that.
I've been to company parties of my friends' or family's before, and since there would be a small group of us, we would pretty much just interact within our group just like nearly all the other family groups or groups of friends. Nobody seemed to interact outside of their well-known circle.
The thing that I'm uneasy about is that I've been working offsite for this company ever since I started, and I've never seen nor met any other employee from this company apart from a manager and the CEO (both only twice). I will be essentially walking into a room full of complete strangers. I am bringing my SO along, so there will be company for me, but would it look awful to not interact with actual employees? I mean if they talk to me, I sure will respond and be open, but apart from that, I just don't go to parties where there will be only two people out of 100 plus that I've only been acquainted to and not know past that.
I've been to company parties of my friends' or family's before, and since there would be a small group of us, we would pretty much just interact within our group just like nearly all the other family groups or groups of friends. Nobody seemed to interact outside of their well-known circle.
It's a good idea to go. I would definitely go. You don't look like a team player if you don't show up. Of course everyone would rather be doing something else, but they put in the effort of having a nice party for the employees, so to not go would be a bit of a snub (unless you have a MAJOR reason not to go).