When Charlie fell off her chair at work after a feisty Christmas party, she learnt a hard lesson: bingeing does not have a merry ending at the office.
"My boss and I had a lovely work relationship. But when he said pull your head in I was horrified that someone had to sit me down like my parents, and talk to me," said Charlie, a recruitment officer. "I am better at hiding it now," she jokes.
Indulging yourself over the festive season may be a well-deserved treat, but excessive partying and drinking the night before a work day can have serious repercussions on your performance, professional reputation and career prospects — especially if evidence of it shows up on social media sites, bosses and recruitment experts say.
"Employees can commit the equivalent of ‘career suicide' by some of their actions at corporate parties. Even after attending private parties during the holiday season, their actions at work the following day have resulted in employees dramatically reducing their professional image and even losing their job on the grounds of unprofessional conduct," said Gaj Ravichandra, Psychologist and General Manager at HR Solutions in the Middle East, part of Talent2 International Group.
If clients, colleagues or suppliers see employees lose their inhibitions after one drink too many, it leaves a negative impression on their mind, he said. "This can lead to inappropriate verbal, body or email communication and may result in burning bridges with relevant people."
Missing work the next day or showing up unable to work does not sit well with the boss either.
"I have experienced staff not being fit to work through excessive indulgence, they haven't actually turned up to work but have rung in sick or worse still, just not showed up to train their clients," said Nassreh Ameri, manager at Ignite Fitness and Wellness, a mobile personal training company. "The trainer would get a warning and be asked to make up the session free of charge to the client in their own time. They would also be watched very closely after that to make sure it didn't happen again."
Irresponsible behaviour by the employees can reflect badly on both the company and its representatives. "A one off can be covered up, but if this happens frequently, especially around known times where partying is at it's peak such as the Christmas period, then both reputations are at stake," said Ameri.
Another career risk is personal photos or videos of employees that reveal a wild lifestyle popping up on their social media accounts.
Research shows that over 80 per cent of recruitment activities involve ‘candidate inspection' through online social tools like LinkedIn, twitter and facebook, said Ravichandra.
"Although I wouldn't completely base my full decision on my findings through this medium, I would still use it to get an idea of the person's character and if they would fit in with the team or not," said Ameri.
With a young, diverse working population in Dubai, there is no shortage of things to do and places to go. "The beauty of being in Dubai is that you work hard and play hard. Granted I enjoy a party, but not the point where it would affect me at work, usually," Charlie said.
Work-proof your merry-making this Christmas:
- Do not post on social media websites photos or videos that you do not want prospective employers to see.
- Excuse yourself from a situation where your behaviour may lead to a negative impression on clients or employers
- Prepare responsibly for your holiday celebrations
- Take time off or schedule your clients accordingly
