Embarassed myself at the work Christmas party

[Jbrum]

Right so. For the most part when leadership were there I was fine. Didn’t say or do anything stupid.

towards the middle of the evening I went for a cigarette and the door knocked me a bit and one guy went “ooo steady on” but it was just that the door knocked me. And yes I was tipsy but not totally messed up.

later in the night I think I walked over and said that was rude making out like I’m some p*sshead. I also touched his arm for no reason while I said this. I then had no recollection of the rest of the conversation at all because he brought me a shot.

But by the end. My close colleague and I had a couple more and by the end it was both of us and a few others. As my close colleague and I were heading home I fell over and then because of the motion in the taxi I took home with her I had to step out and throw up.

My colleague and I are at the same level and have gone on nights out together and got like this before. But I just still feel ashamed of myself.

I’m so embarrassed and I’m supposed to be applying for a leadership role. What do I do?

It’s really not funny or endearing. It’s unprofessional and cringey and whilst you may hope everyone will brush it off as a one-off or amusing, in my experience it’s the kind of thing that people gossip about amongst themselves and leadership frowns on. If you behave like that at what is still a work event, how would you fare at a client lunch or social?

There’s always someone who makes a tit of themselves on a night out.

It will feel better tomorrow, then what’s the worst than can happen on Monday - they’ll laugh at how pissed you were. Laugh at yourself and that’ll be that.

I have been very drunk WITH senior management…I wouldn’t think getting pissed at a work Christmas party will stop you being able to go for leadership roles!

You didn’t hurt anyone, damage anything, do anything illegal… relax!

Oh come on - a works Christmas do isn’t the same as a client lunch or social.

I know but some peoples posts worry me. They’ve said senior management frown upon this kind of behaviour. I’m now just sat having a complete stress that they’ll think I’m incapable or have gossiped and judge me for it.

OP you will probably be one of several who arrive Monday morning slightly shamefaced and hoping no one mentions what they did at the works party. Everyone side eyeing each other and daring anyone to mention it.

I worked at one place where we were banned from all venues and pubs within a square mile of the office due to some people’s behaviour. Throwing food was a favourite pastime, preferably at other company’s employees who had the misfortune to be there at the same time as us. The head of department who got drunk every time and propositioned both men and women, gay or straight. The parties were held in working hours so difficult to get out of attending although some did manage it. If you kept fairly quiet you could slip under the radar and make a bid for home at normal leaving time. Incidentally I wasn’t perfect, went home one evening with my jacket on inside out and walked the last two miles in tipping rain trying to sober myself up.

I would never be like this for an event I need to be professional for. Also, I wasn’t the one getting all the drinks, my colleagues were! And we were all drinking as much as each other

Read this! Seriously: https://jezebel.com/just-give-it-7-seconds-1795766407

alcohol is usually involved unfortunately- management need to be able to trust employees to behave and not lose control

I assume they ordered them because they know they can drink them without spewing up?

@Jbrum how old are you?

well I didn’t spew in front of senior management. It was at the end of the night on the way home. I held it together until that very point.

Was the interviewer there!? Watching this!? Your job is toast!

30😂

I don’t mean to scare you but am being honest about what I have seen over many years. The people that behave like that do get talked about and, unfair or not, a bit of a reputation which I know has hindered some of them from progressing. I guess, just don’t do it again?

The leadership left after food.

Is that the same colleague who you told was rude for calling you a pisshead?

Hah yeah

But you still think it's hilarious, so 🤷‍♂️

I’ve just remembered the event when the director got so drunk she couldn’t remember going home! My boss at that one left her best cardigan on the train going home, seemed to think it was my fault as I should have realised she was pissed and looked after her

Erm. I don’t.

OP, you didn’t proposition the boss, then when he politely refused your advances, call him a cunt and chuck your drink over him, start a fight with a random for looking at you funny, whack a copper with your stiletto, puke in the back of the police van and spend the night in the drunktank. It’s not even a proper night ou around here unless you do that.

I’m senior management and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid about this. I suppose it depends on the industry you work in but in my industry, it’s generally ignored and laughed off. In fact most of the senior management I know have done similar or worse than you did op. It certainly wouldn’t stop me promoting someone if they were otherwise capable and competent. People are human, they make mistakes, and I absolutely wouldn’t judge them on their behaviour at one Christmas do.

Look at the state of the Downing Street Christmas parties and they're running the government! It'll be fine OP. Lol @ 'the motion of the taxi' though

Why do you keep going on about it being other people who were ordering the drinks?

What difference does it make?

Way back in the good old days, my work mate was much worse for wear than me after a Christmas party. I was tasked with getting her home. We walked along her street and I needed her to give me her front door key and identify her house so that I could get her safely inside. I opened the front door and thank goodness the downstairs loo was right next to the front door as she chose that moment to throw up. She managed to aim straight into the bowl and very loudly vomited the night’s alcohol and chips away, while I held her hair back and mopped her brow with the had towel. Just as she flushed one final time, and stood up straight at last, we heard somebody coming down the stairs. Took one look at his face and legged it out of the door and up the street to her own house several doors down.

OP, that’s what I call embarrassing !