Party poopers! One in four engineers dread the work Christmas party

The festive season is upon us, and that can only mean one thing – the work Christmas party!

Yet a new study from CV-Library, the UK independent job site, has revealed that one in four (25.3%) engineering professionals admit to dreading the office party.



The survey of 1,300 UK professionals, explored the views of workers when it came to the work Christmas party and found that over one third (37.3%) of engineers confessed to often getting drunk at these events.

What’s more, one in four (24.1%) have made a fool of themselves as a result.

The top causes for post-Christmas party embarrassment include:

* Embarrassing yourself dancing – 31.6%

* Falling over in front of your co-workers – 16%

* Embarrassing yourself in front of the boss – 15.8%

* Throwing up in front of people – 15%

* Kissing one of your colleagues – 10.5%

However, despite these blunders, almost two thirds (61.4%) of engineers admit that they do enjoy these events. What’s more, 39.8% said that their employer does put a lot of effort into preparing the work Christmas party.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “The Christmas party is a great opportunity to not only celebrate the festive season, but also a year of hard work from everyone in the business.

“It’s a shame to see that so many workers in the engineering sector are becoming nervous beforehand, especially given that it’s supposed to be a fun event for staff to let their hair down.

“Though there are a number of hypothetically embarrassing situations that can arise when spending time with your colleagues, these should not stop you from enjoying yourself.

“Parties and drinking alcohol often come hand-in-hand, so if you’re wary of your behaviour after you’ve had a few to drink, take it slow and stay in control. But most importantly, just enjoy yourself.”

The survey also asked respondents whether they get dressed up for the Christmas party, with 57.8% of engineers saying that they do. That said, over one in 10 (14.9%) confessed that they don’t enjoy doing so.

Interestingly, almost two-thirds (62.2%) said that they would not dress more conservatively than normal, despite this being a work event.

CV-Library also shares its top tips to Christmas party success, below:

1. Know your limits –The temptation to drink away your nerves or have a few shots with your co-workers may be inviting. But remember, if you want to avoid any potentially embarrassing drink-related incidents, then stay safely in the bounds of your limits.

2. Remain professional – Just because you are no longer in the office, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t act professionally. Avoid office gossip and certainly don’t divulge any confidential information after a few too many glasses of mulled wine.

3. Dress appropriately – It’s Christmas and you’re not in office attire, so it’s nice to be able to dress up a bit more than usual. But don’t go too over the top. Remember these are still your colleagues. Plus dressing more conservatively could help to avoid any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions throughout the night.

4. Make an effort – It’s clear that some people dread the Christmas party, but even if you’re not really feeling it this year, it’s important to go – even if it’s just for an hour. This is a great opportunity to celebrate your hard work and get to know your colleagues better.

5. Don’t talk shop – And finally, you may be with people from work – but try to avoid talking about it. Leave work at the office and just enjoy yourself!