Introverted? Here’s How To Handle Office Happy Hour

Introverted? Here’s How To Handle Office Happy Hour

Image credit: Roger Kisby/Getty

It’s perfectly natural to play it close to the vest at work, especially if you’re the new guy in the office. But office camaraderie depends on more than showing up on time or coming through on a group project. It also involves participating in work-related social events, often including the occasional after-work drinks with your colleagues. If you’re an introvert, FastCompany has a few guidelines on when you should (or shouldn’t) attend your office’s happy hour event.

Employees who keep to themselves might find the thought of an office happy hour overwhelming or uninteresting, but you can make the most of it if you’ve got an end goal in mind. For instance, heading to happy hour is recommended if your boss, or the office higher-ups, are also joining in on the socialising. Not only does it give you an opportunity to get to know those in upper management, it lets you interact with them and chat briefly about projects you’ve worked on without coming off as a brown-noser.

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FastCompany’s other suggestions for attending happy hour include some pretty compelling reasons to have a beer with your boss or colleague; Employees interested in upward promotions at the office should consider attending, if only to talk shop (though make sure you’ve got other conversation topics in the pocket). Even people interested in transferring to a different department would benefit from the in-office networking opportunity. Just remember to keep your powder dry, and disengage from potentially controversial conversations or situations. That means no throwing your coworkers under the bus, or talking smack about Deborah’s terrible fashion sense. Instead, have a beer or two, and get ready to make some money moves.

3 Times You Should Say Yes to Office Happy Hour [FastCompany]


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