Christmas social events are not everyone's idea of fun!

As the ‘season to be jolly’ rears its head on the horizon, spare a thought for employees who may not be awash with the festive exuberance.

Whilst the annual Christmas work event or party, is the perfect way to lift morale, reward employees for their hard work during the year and encourage them to relax and enjoy themselves, remember that not everyone will be feeling the same levels of joy.

Mixed emotions

As soon as the work Christmas party invite lands in their inbox, outgoing and extrovert members of your team are already relishing the excitement, organising taxi’s and deciding what to wear. However, the more introverted employees will be nervous and most likely feeling a range of mixed emotions.

For some employees, the words ‘social event’ or ‘party’ make them feel uncomfortable. Spending time with other members of their team, work colleagues and their boss in a social setting is something to fear and dread. They are like a proverbial minefield, or a test of their inner resolve, as they find small talk hard and know they will feel awkward and anxious, wanting to be anywhere else if they can.

 Time to recharge

 According to psychologist Carl Jung, introverts and extraverts can be distinguished based on where they draw their energy from. Introverts prefer minimally stimulating environments, and they need time alone to recharge. Extraverts get their energy by being with others.

 Contrary to popular beliefs, introverts are not shy, and they do like other people. They might come across as quiet, reserved, and thoughtful, preferring to spend time alone and not liking to seek out any special attention, but they do enjoy talking. It’s just networking, socialising and developing interpersonal connections in large groups, that they dislike and find tiring.

People are different

As an employer it’s difficult to make sure that social gatherings are right for everyone in your organisation, but it’s worth trying to get as many people as possible onboard with the idea.

Here are a few suggestions and reminders to help you strike a good balance.

1.     Everyone should be invited.

2.     Attendance should be optional.

3.     If someone shows up late, or leaves early, don’t make a big deal about it.

4.     Try to hold it off-site - that may help people to relax a little bit more.

5.     Communicate clearly about what people can expect – format, timings, itinerary, structure etc.

6.     Allow people to pick their own groups, i.e. who they sit with, talk to etc.

7.     Limit, or remove, any interactive surprises.

8.     Have quiet rooms/areas where people can get away from the noise and hustle/bustle of the event if they need to.

9.     Don’t insist it’s fancy dress, karaoke or organise party games – that will bring too much pressure to perform or be put in the spotlight.

10.  Plan activities that engage people in something other than social interaction – teach them something, give them a task to do, for example.

Thanks to the work I do with DISC profiling I’ve learnt a lot about personality types and how extroverts and introverts react differently. We know that some social events, be it a Christmas party or team building day, might not provoke the same reaction in everyone. However, it’s worth remembering that for a harmonious and balanced team, a mixture of personalities is essential.

How I can help

If you’d like some help to understand different personality types in your team and how you can best work with them, please get in touch. By understanding an individual’s communication and decision-making style and what motivates them, you’ll be able to develop effective relationships, initiate successful communications and build great teams.