Some of the best content we’ve put on this site in mid-December of years past has been about office holiday parties, especially Adrienne’s posts about behaving around others and not getting sloppy drunk.
Of course, things are different this year. Thanks, Rona.
But do you actually, really, truly miss hanging out face to face at your firm’s holiday party with the co-workers you like? And eating a decent meal and having dranks on the firm’s dime? And acting a fool on the dance floor? OR, do you not miss the uncomfortableness of being cornered by that one partner who has had too many drinks and having to make small talk with him or her? Or the awkwardness of having to be around a group of people who you see enough during the day and don’t really wanna mingle with in the wild? Or pretending to have fun while your social anxiety is raging?
Maybe some of you who work at smaller accounting firms have attended or will attend an office holiday party, while wearing a mask and social distancing. But these in-person gatherings are few and far between.
According to a survey of nearly 200 HR representatives by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, only 23% of companies are planning year-end celebrations this year, and 74% of those events will be held virtually.
But an office holiday party on Zoom or Google Hangouts or whatever brings its own special set of annoyances, like bad network connections, frozen screens, and people constantly talking over themselves. And really, who wants to go to another virtual happy hour?
So are you really that heartbroken about no in-person office party this year? Did a virtual holiday party do anything for you? If your firm had one already, any funny anecdotes or horror stories you’d be willing to share?
Or did your firm have one and you didn’t go (forced firm fun!)? Would you rather have gotten a small gift from management or—gasp!—a little extra money in your paycheck from whatever was budgeted for a party?
Let us know in the comments or get in touch with us using the contact info below.
100% I will miss it. Some of my best work memories have happened at these parties.
Also, I 100% miss hanging out in the office and at client sites with the audit crew during this pandemic. I miss firm-paid lunches, dinners, happy hours, etc. This work from home thing takes all the good parts of this job away and leaves only the crappy parts.
Absolutely. Holiday parties were always a fun time (along with the rest of the items you mentioned).
This article reads as if its written by a 16 year old trying to sound cool and going against the grain.
We get it….public accounting isn’t fun,fair, its low paying, there is no diversity (who REALLY cares that much about that? Why is that even a “thing”? Its just chic at the moment and in 5 years it won’t matter), ect. Get a new shtick, GC.
Couldn’t have said it better myself
In Los Angeles for EY we have rented out Universal Studios for the night the past few years. These events have been super popular and gotten the highest attendance when compared to the standard dinner/open bar type events. So ya, I am sad that’s not happening