The office party hook-up

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, for it’s the season to be jolly and attend a string of office parties. After a year of being a committed and hard worker, many look forward to a night of dancing and chatter, but when professional reputation stand the chance of ruination one must take special care to adhere to all the workplace party etiquettes particularly the one that says, “Thou shalt not flirt or hook-up with anyone attending the party”. However, dicta are easier said than done. So let’s explore why transgressing is not such a good idea in hopes of encouraging fortitude.
Persons often aspire to keep secrets, but the common knowledge is that if something that is meant to be private is known by at least one other person then it will inevitably become public knowledge. There is no such thing as a secret tryst. Even if the parties manage to initially elude widespread public scrutiny, a break-up almost always result in the jilted party opening up to family and friends about their feelings of regret, anger or betrayal and like the song says, “It’s a small world after all”, word gets around quickly and the effects can be devastating

What if you openly hooked-up with a coworker? Then you can forget about enjoying the euphoric feeling that comes with a new relationship because you will immediately become the hot topic of office gossip. Brace yourself for widespread scrutiny since every interaction will be placed under a microscope and the way your actions are interpreted by others can lead to a derailed career trajectory.
Then there is the dreaded break-up and unavoidable interaction. No one wants to see their ex daily or have to work closely with them especially when you may not be at your best emotionally. Further, should the split be contentious, you may not be strong enough to keep the hostility outside of the office. Office hook-ups are therefore a bad idea and those initiated at office parties are less likely to be kept secret or end well.
Office parties are a prime ground for office hook-ups because of various influencers. The number one influencing agent is alcohol. When consumed in excess, alcohol can make the most wound up personality abandon all inhibitions.

Then coming in a close second is the hypnotic appeal of music. Cinderella was not the only one who regressed at the stroke of twelve, so can you, dependent on the music and the atmosphere.
Seeing people in relaxed wear may also force us to perceive them in a new light. Suddenly their rating on the attractiveness metre climbs and being the fallible creatures we are prone to be, we fall prey to the laws of attraction which rounds off our list.
But all is not lost! You can overcome the lure of the infelicitous by:
• Consuming alcohol in moderation. Aim to always be in control of all your faculties.
• Try to put some distance between you and your office crush. Interact with them in groups so that you are not tempted to breach professional etiquettes.
• When the music becomes provocative and the dancing suggestive, opt for a chair. It is safer to be an observer as opposed to a partaker.
• Finally, take care of how you present yourself. That is, be mindful of your body language so that there is no room for misunderstanding.
We can all agree that office hook-ups are inadvisable because such relationships introduce uncontrollable agents into the professional domain. Do try to avoid mixing business with pleasure this office party season.