Although it may seem difficult to believe, even a holiday like St. Patrick’s Day, which is notoriously known as a day of partying, can be enjoyed and celebrated professionally at the office.
Because St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday this year, most people in the business world will spend the majority of their holiday in the office, behind their desk.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in a festive manor while still conducting business as usual in the office –
~ Do Wear Green. Show your Irish spirit by wearing something green to work. Even if your wardrobe only consists of one green scarf or blouse, wearing it on this holiday will make you feel festive. If you can’t find anything green, pin a short, freshly cut spring flower to your blouse or blazer, for a bit of bright green color.
~ Don’t Be a ‘Pincher’. Wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day may be fun for some people, but there will be many colleagues that will simply forget, or just choose not to participate. Although you may be just trying to be fun, don’t ever tell those without green on that you are going to ‘pinch’ them, as children in grade school do. It may seem like a silly joke, but remember that you are a professional, and are in a business office.
~ Do Host a Special Luncheon. Take the initiative to start an Irish themed lunch in the break room. Offer to bring in the corned beef and cabbage for everyone to enjoy, and see if other colleagues would be willing to follow suit with other dishes to share.
~ Don’t Overdue. A few small green items on your desk, or some green candies like M&M’s in a dish for co-workers, is all of the decorating needed for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s hard to concentrate on work when giant green shamrock shaped balloons are filling every corner of the office.
~ Do Spread Cheer. St. Patrick’s Day, like any holiday, is the perfect opportunity to brighten someone’s day. If you don’t have time to bake a batch of cookies yourself, call a local bakery and order some to share. You can have some of the treats delivered to clients, thanking them for their business, or even hand deliver some sugary goodies to neighbors and friends.
~ Don’t Be the Jokester. Never assume that your boss will find it humorous if you use this holiday as an excuse to show up to the company meeting dressed as a leprechaun. Although the costume may amuse your friends, the office is the setting for business and one bad joke could ruin the professional reputation that you worked so hard to achieve.
~ Don’t Talk Plans. Even if you have made arrangements to spend the evening at the local pub with friends and colleagues, don’t talk about your plans at the office. You never know who could hear the conversation and feel left out. Plus, bosses tend to frown on hearing these type of plans during business hours when they are paying you to work.
~ Do Prepare for Business as Usual on Monday. If you do plan to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day holiday in the evening by attending different places with friends, remember that you need to be cleaned up and ready for business by Monday morning. This includes double checking the back of your hands to remove any stamps that were put on, admitting you to a club, and the removal of neon glowing green nail polish. Although the day brought fun times and memories were made, clients and colleagues that you see Monday morning will not be impressed – therefore you need to prepare to be back to your professional attire right away.
Using a few tips and using common sense can help you and all of your colleagues enjoy a fun St. Patrick’s Day at the office this year, while also completing your day’s work and maintaining your professionalism.
