For most businesses, Christmas and New Year’s means office parties, but for introverts, this time of year can be highly stressful.
A new infographic by Simply Be titled, “An Introvert’s Guide to Office Parties” has 18 tips to help introverts navigate office functions around this time of year.
The infographic looks to provide a set of tools introverts can use before, during, and after work functions to handle their anxiety and even enjoy themselves.
Office functions might seem trivial, but for business owners and managers they provide more than just a way to let loose and have a good time.
In addition to bringing everyone in the organization together, they allow owners and managers to see how their employees interact with each other while identifying potential candidates for certain positions.
Introverts who fail to attend these gatherings might be missing out on opportunities without knowing it, which is what Simply Be says in the report.
It goes on to say, “…If you’re not attending work gatherings, it’s likely that you’ll be left out of office friendships and conversations – not to mention being at the back of management’s mind when it comes to promotions and pay rises.”
Help your introverted employees by sharing the infographic below to help the feel more comfortable at this stressful time of year.
Tips on Office Parties for Introverts
Before the party, the infographic says to be honest about whether you’ll be attending or not. Saying you’ll attend and not showing up will make your work environment even more uncomfortable as an introvert.
Another tip is to make the decision on whether it is worth attending the party. If your presence is not required and it is too stressful, you should consider not attending.
Once you have made the decision to go, set a goal for the party to make it easier to socialize while you’re there. This includes practicing conversations, brushing up on current events and having some talking points ready.
The infographic says this might be a bit extreme, but for introverts going through this process will help overcome the anxieties of attending the party.
Two additional tips before introverted employees go to a party include resting or charging their batteries and finding someone they are comfortable with (wingman/woman) to attend the event with them.
When at the party, introverted employees can use existing friends to make new ones, and above all should avoid drinking too much because the outcome could be less than desirable. At the same time, introverted employees should have an exit plan just in case they are feeling particularly anxious or tired.
After the party, they can wind down by taking a bath, taking a walk, or spending some quiet time alone. Introverted employees can build on this experience by attending other parties outside of the workplace until they are wholly comfortable no matter where they are.
The key is to identify what makes them uncomfortable, finding solutions, and implementing said solutions at their own pace.
Introverts
The infographic lists five main traits of an introvert. Knowing these traits can also help owners and managers identify introverts who might be having a hard time fitting in with the organization even though they are great employees.
Once you identify these employees, you can work with them to slowly bring them into the fold with the rest of the organization so they can feel more comfortable in the workplace. At the same time, you can also make workplace functions optional for them until they are ready to attend.
You can see these five traits and the rest of the tips in the infographic below.
Photo via Shutterstock