Career Advice

When it comes to festive gatherings, the office party is arguably the trickiest to navigate. Aside from monitoring your eggnog intake to ensure you’re charming Becky from accounting and not telling her what you really think of her new haircut, there’s the inevitable transition from nine-to-five to partywear. For men, going from the boardroom to the bar is a no-brainer. Of course, you’ll want to step up your game this time of year, considering your festive get-together is basically an invitation to sartorially outshine your office rival. For women, the changeover isn’t as straightforward. You’ll want to look polished, but not too professional. Celebratory, but not seductive. To top it off, there’s the puzzling dress code “clarification” email that circulated. “Holiday spirit,” “festive dressy,” and “smart casual” do little to illuminate the sartorial conundrum. To help you get through the season in style, we’ve rounded up the very best desk-appropriate costume changes. This year, you can leave your Santa hat at home.

Just like in work, when it comes to dressing, monotony is a dangerous thing. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine – and consequently, lost in a sea of suits. Don’t let your old habits hold you back. This winter, break free from the corporate mould with the season’s sharpest silhouettes. Unexpected pairings, daring plaids and warm tones are the pieces that will get you noticed. Here’s our guide to standing out – and getting ahead – in style.

It may be legal to use marijuana at company festivities but do so inoffensively. ‘Tis the season to be merry-juana. So should you partake of herb at your office party? Everyone else is getting sloshed; it only seems fitting. Thing is if you’re going to get stoned there observe the etiquette. Being buzzed among coworkers and bosses poses some different perils than boozing.

It may be legal to use marijuana at company festivities but do so inoffensively. ‘Tis the season to be merry-juana. So should you partake of herb at your office party? Everyone else is getting sloshed; it only seems fitting. Thing is if you’re going to get stoned there observe the etiquette. Being buzzed among coworkers and bosses poses some different perils than boozing.

This winter, don’t let office-appropriate dress codes stand in the way or your sartorial stardom. While it’s true, even confident dressers approach the morning ‘what to wear?’ routine with dread, facing your closet doesn’t have to feel like a walk to the boss’s office. This season’s key new styles are workwear saviours. Think sophisticated fabrics like tweed, heritage prints, and voluminous wide-leg trousers. Whether you’re in a buttoned-up boardroom or a casual start-up, they’re the hero pieces that will polish in a pinch. Plus, they don’t require any extra effort so you can focus on what matters. And of course, look great doing it.

Non-disparagement clauses hold workers back from criticizing the company, during or after employment. Or do they? So I’m reading a U.S. magazine, and my eyeballs pop at this headline: Staffers at Company X Can Never Say Anything Bad About the Employer Ever Again. Say what? What dropped my jaw was “Ever Again.” Seems staff were asked to sign a “non-disparagement” clause, hardly rare. But this one forbids public dissing till earth stops whirling. Even if they’ve treated you like scum. Struck me as savagely restrictive. So I checked into Canada’s rules. Found out that if included in your employment contract, this kind of clause might – or might not – be enforceable here.

Your next raise, promotion or review might rely on data analytics. Know what the algorithms are watching for. Notice anything sketchy about your latest performance review? Maybe for the first time, it gave you crap for the “sentiment index” of your Slack messages. Or praised your “time to task ratios.” WTF? Say hi to AI in gauging your worth as a worker. Reduced to numeric stats. Watched and reported on like rats in a lab. Brave new world my ass. Starting in corporations and working their way down, analytics are encroaching in a big way. A big data way, where neural networks parse and report on your activities. Knowing what’s stirring gives you a chance to catfish the algorithms.

If bosom buddies transmute into evil enemies, deal with ‘em before they ravage your mojo. Just another day at the office: your former same-sex love interest forsakes goodness, starting an unholy reign of terror to rule earth by dark magic. Oops, that’s the plot of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2.” In this sequel, ex-besties Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald have a falling out. Just like workplace pals often do. Though in their case the world’s fate is at stake.

Turn your tendency to take the high road into a competitive advantage at work. Don’t you hate it when a-holes get rewarded? Makes ol’ Machiavelli seem bang on: All’s fair at work and war.