Halloween in the Workplace: How Do You Celebrate?
Last year, I did a post on Halloween Fun in the Workplace, featuring a few articles on the subject.
Over the last few months or so, I’ve noticed a lot of hits on that post, suggesting interest again this year in how to deal with Halloween celebrations at work or work-related after-hours Halloween parties. So I thought I’d bring the subject up again for those who missed it.
Halloween Costumes for Work?
Let’s start with some costume suggestions for the work Halloween party from Mike Erwin, “Senior Ghoul Expert” for CareerBuilder.com: "10 Halloween Costumes for Work" (originally published last year).
My favorites:
- “Headhunter – Carry a mannequin or doll head around with you, holding it by the hair.”
- “Suggestion Box — Take a large cardboard box and fasten rope so you can wear it like a barrel. Write “suggestions” on the box and take the slips of paper with your co-workers’ suggestions. Make sure to respond to them by the end of the day.”
Office Halloween Party Advice for Employees:
Some tips for surviving the work Halloween party with your job and reputation intact include:
- All your hard work over the years could be overshadowed by an unintentional gaffe at a company party, so have fun, but never forget where you are and who is watching.
- Besides thinking about how your costume will go over with colleagues, when picking a costume, think about what you’ll be doing at a party. You want to make sure that you can relax and have fun and not be preoccupied with your costume.
- Just like putting too much effort into a costume can backfire, putting little to no work in an outfit most likely won’t help you either.
- Having a wild and crazy party, and conducting mean pranks on co-workers while top managers are in attendance won’t project the right image.
Along similar lines, see: Ghosts, Goblins and Your Job: 6 Ways To Avoid Embarrassing Yourself At Halloween And Throughout The Year. This one starts with a true story:
A pharmaceutical sales representative dressed up as the Grim Reaper and went into an intensive care unit of a hospital on Halloween. He was trying to be funny. Neither the patients nor the hospital staff was amused.
By following the suggestions above and the 6 Ways To Avoid Embarrassing Yourself At Halloween And Throughout The Year, you will be sure to have a good time with your co-workers, select appropriate Halloween costumes for the occasion, and avoid potentially embarrassing or damaging gaffes during your workplace Halloween party.
Choosing the right costume is usually the first step to having fun and entertaining your co-workers while still maintaining a professional demeanorand projecting the right image.
Seriously, Now, Costumes Can Reveal More Than Flesh
Finally, a serious Halloween-inspired piece by a consultant on image and communication, body language, and presentation skills Halloween Trick or Treat: Examining Your ‘Workplace Mask’
This article’s premise:
“Halloween is the perfect time to gain a major competitive business advantage by doing an up-close evaluation of your everyday workplace masks.” The exercises described in the article “can help you achieve powerful results to benefit you, your company, your clients, and your bottom line.”
Imagine making a costume party “a revealing, possibly painful process of self-discovery and revelation for every employee that will help them move to a place of greater success and happiness.” Wow!
Update Here’s one more: “Top Ten Adult Halloween Costumes for 2006″
Hey Daddy! I just wanted you to know that I stopped by your blog. I hope you’re all recovering from the cards’ disappointing loss today. Talk to you later!
I really like what you wrote for two reasons. First, it is important to consider the potential “gaffes” and things that can offend other people in the office. That out of the way, I think that a lot of managers discount the value of celebrating a day like Halloween and the impact on Job Satisfaction.
In today’s tight labor market, increasing job satisfaction is an important business strategy. Often, it is the little things, like celebrating Halloween, that really make a difference.