It's time to party

We've heard this often enough -- your colleagues are not your friends, your superiors will expect professional behaviour from you. Yet there are occasions that you would like to celebrate at the office -- after all, you do spend almost half your day there

We've heard this often enough -- your colleagues are not your friends, your superiors will expect professional behaviour from you. Yet there are occasions that you would like to celebrate at the office -- after all, you do spend almost half your day there. So whether you are celebrating your own birthday or your co-workers, we show you how to do it with professional flair.


Birthday blast: Make birthday celebrations fun

Policy matters
Before you do anything, be clear on your company's policy about personal celebrations. There may be some organisations that encourage it and others that feel that it intrudes on work time. Ask permission from your superior even if you are planning to just cut a cake in the office. Make sure that the birthday celebration does not clash with an important meetings. Remember, after all you are bringing some aspect of a private life into a professional setting so toe the line.

Joint ventures
If there are two or more birthdays falling in the same month, chances are that the management would not approve of regular parties. Besides, other colleagues would disapprove of being expected to shell out money for so many parties and gifts in the same month. In such a case the best thing to do is to organise a common monthly party.

Heads up
If you are planning a proper party or are going to organise a lunch, let your colleagues know at least a week in advance. This way if they plan to create a birthday fund to buy a gift, they have enough time to do so. Besides, they can also cancel their 'dabba'.

Menu
Besides the cake, take into account what snacks your colleagues enjoy. Finger food is usually a better idea than a buffet. You could even ask your colleagues to arrange a potluck where each person can contribute to the party by getting one food item.

Decor
Office parties are not the place for streamers and balloons. A simple birthday banner would do, else using colourful post its to put birthday messages in the concerned person's cubicle is a novel decoration.
A birthday party helps to reinforce the fact that you are thought of as more than a mere cog in the machine. The celebrations works towards creating an upbeat mood, a feeling of team spirit and boosts morale. But, you must always remember not to go overboard with the celebrations -- the office is not a place to have theme-based parties!

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