18 People Talk About Worst Choices That Were Made At Office Parties

Office parties are great. They provide us with a chance to see our coworkers in entirely different surroundings, being themselves and acting spontaneously… Well, maybe a little too spontaneous. Spontaneity doesn’t mix well with alcohol, oh no. 

When you see your coworker costumed as a baby and wearing nothing but an adult diaper, there is no turning back. Things will never be the same. Nor will you.

People are sharing their weirdest office party experiences on AskReddit, and we have collected some of the strangest. We must admit, it's completely understandable that many companies don’t have office parties anymore, or they have stopped serving alcohol.

1. Interesting...

"My coworker basically diddled herself in the middle of my boss’s wedding reception.

In front of most of my boss’s extended family.

Good times."

The Impact of Alcohol on Behavior

Alcohol consumption can significantly impair judgment and self-control, leading to behaviors that individuals may later regret. Research published in the journal Addictive Behaviors indicates that alcohol lowers inhibitions, allowing for more impulsive actions that deviate from social norms.

This phenomenon often results in risky behaviors at social events like office parties. Understanding these effects can help individuals make more informed choices about their drinking, such as setting limits or opting for non-alcoholic beverages to maintain composure and professionalism.

2. In vino veritas...and amnesia.

"Our payroll manager got blackout drunk at a Christmas party a few years ago and started insulting people, telling them that they weren’t worth how much they were getting paid (while quoting the actual salaries).

She was fired the next day but didn’t even remember what she’d done."

3. “Christmas miracle”

"First year at the company. The married CEO was all over an employee pretty much in front of the whole company. Awkward AF. Both were really drunk. The fact that they didn’t start making out in front of everyone was a Christmas miracle."

4. In a canoe?

"My coworker (who is also my friend from before we started working there) tried to have sex with his girlfriend in a river while the whole company was around, along with their significant others and family.

P.S. This was on a canoe day trip."

5. Maybe not super wild, but pretty wild.

"There was a coworker who arrived in a giant baby diaper with nothing else on except sneakers. At some point, someone smeared chocolate frosting on his diaper.

Not super wild, but this was a dry party."

6. "Interesting night!"

"A bunch of people from the office decided to get together and head to a foam party. One of the girls got white-girl wasted and stripped down to nothing but her panties, dancing on one of the tables. It made for an interesting night!"

7. Red wine.

"When I used to work for a large corporate law firm, a guy and a girl who both worked in the accounts team got into an argument. One thing led to another, and the girl threw her glass of red wine over his white shirt. Without missing a beat, he just grabbed her by the throat and started choking her.

This was just off the side of the dance floor, in front of 300+ staff."

8. Jazz man.

"We had a “Mardi Gras” themed holiday party. One guy decided to bring his saxophone and be a “jazz man.” Normal enough, right?

Well, he also thought that to be a “jazz man,” he needed to show up in blackface."

9. That’s some good management.

"I worked at Maccas, and we had a work party. Some of the crew volunteered to run the night shift while the rest of us went ten-pin bowling and drank scrumpies. I was a manager, so I got to see the camera footage the next day…

It was of me walking around the restaurant and kitchen with my pants down, shaping my balls to look like a brain and making people look at my taut scrotum. There were also brown-eyes and squashed-rats, which is where you press your dick and balls up against the glass. That was me in the drive-through window. I woke up horrified and knew I was in trouble.

There was a small fallout. I miraculously didn’t get fired; no one formally complained. My punishment was to wash car windows as they went through the drive-thru on my day off and donate the tips to the Ronald McDonald House charity."

10. Chanting.

"Just recently, I had my office Christmas party. The location we went to was BYOB, so a bunch of us went in on a keg.

The head of HR was chanting for keg stands by the end of the night."

11. For some people it’s not a big deal.

"A coworker and his wife showed up to our black-tie Christmas party, and she was wearing a revealing Santa’s helper outfit. Not a huge deal, but then she proceeded to get hammered drunk, flashed all of us lucky enough to be at her table, and then took pictures of her ass and breasts in the photobooth at the back of the room.

I guess she didn’t realize or care that we could all see on the screen what she was doing in there. The whole time, the husband was just laughing and acting like it was no big deal."

12. Whiteboard.

"Thanksgiving at my shop, we all drew hand turkeys on the whiteboard."

13. So that’s what it takes?

"I joined a company and was hired by the new boss. Most of the tenured employees were against the new boss and his new hires. Every conversation was dependent on who was present and how private it was: a bad environment.

Cue the team-builder! The majority of the team had worked together for a while and partied hard; the new people, including management, had no idea how bad of an idea a bar setting was.

We all got a meal and two drinks on the company’s dime. People were asking right away if they could trade their meal for more booze. After the budget was spent, you could see the managers trying to be fun and participate and just accept that it was a shitshow in the making. They excused themselves and left.

I was new and didn’t want to ride the sinking ship, but I stayed for a while. The crew was great and fun. They obviously had a work relationship, and the bar setting brought out the intimacies that never had an opportunity to blossom completely.

Two people ended up hooking up, a bunch of people smoked weed in a car, and the crazy thing was a girl showed her fake breasts to everyone at the bar.

There was a stronger bond after that. The management didn’t last, but I did. Better management came in after that and cleaned house, but that team-builder was the most ridiculous work event I’ve ever been to."

14. "Beer! Strippers at someone’s house! Crazy!"

"When I was in my early 20s, I was working at a restaurant with the world’s nicest and most innocent group of guys. One weekend, we threw a bachelor party for one of the waiters who was marrying his high school sweetheart.

Beer! Strippers at someone’s house! Crazy!

We all hooted and hollered when the strippers tore off their clothes and walked around the room to each guy. We whistled and giggled when the bachelor got a personal show with whipped cream. Good times!

As the girls were ending the show, they asked if anyone had any requests before they packed up. One of the cooks, who was at least 20 years older than most of us, walked over and had a serious five-minute conversation with the girls. He then turned to us and said that we all had to cough up $300 if we wanted to see something special. Without hesitation, we handed the money to the girls and sat back in anticipation for what was sure to be a lovely show!

He laid down on the floor, and both girls urinated and defecated on him for the next five minutes. Guys were gagging. The bachelor started crying. I screamed in terror. One guy walked over to them and yelled, “Why, why, why???” It was as if the devil himself, in mere seconds, had snatched the innocent souls of 15 naive idiots.

The show ended in silence. The girls freshened up and left with their “ride.” The cook slid on his jacket over his soiled clothes, walked out into the cold night, and never returned for his shifts."

15. Pretty close office relationships there.

"The CEO slapped my ass in front of my boyfriend and kissed a coworker in front of her husband.

His slapping my ass was not invited, and I was thoroughly enraged. I don’t know about his kissing my coworker, though."

16. Not safe.

"At our Christmas party recently, I put a coworker on my shoulders and carried him along so he could attach some tinsel to the beams in the roof.

That was pretty unsafe; someone did offer a ladder halfway through, but we were already on a roll."

17. Best party ever.

"I just recently went to my girlfriend’s vet office Christmas party at the owner’s very nice house. The party is known for everyone getting extremely wasted.

I’m driving, so I stayed relatively sober; my girlfriend, on the other hand, did not. She was already quite tipsy from all kinds of mixed drinks. I headed to the bathroom down the hall for 5 minutes, and when I came back, I realized she had taken 3 shots (2 is her total drinking limit). Fast forward about 10 minutes, and she’s absolutely sloshed.

She requested to go to the bathroom and started asking everyone the quickest way to get there, as if we were about to go on a road trip or something. I escorted her carefully and let her do her business. While waiting, I got caught up talking to a bunch of coworkers and kind of forgot she was in the bathroom.

About 15 minutes later, she came rushing out, saying we had to leave because she did NOT feel good. I informed everyone we were going to head out when I heard someone yell, “Oh fuck” from the bathroom hall.

It turns out that in those 15 minutes, my girlfriend managed to completely break the toilet in half, causing the plumbing pipe from the wall to explode as well, which started flooding the room. As an added bonus, she decided to start throwing up at the front door as well.

Let’s just say I sobered up real quick.

Anyways, the folks were super supportive of it, even though they had to replace the flooring, plumbing, and the toilet. They didn’t even make her pay anything. The owner also posted pictures on Facebook of his broken toilet and said it was the best party they’ve had in a while."

18. Sounds like a good plan.

"My Christmas party is on Friday.

Guess I should just stick to beer…"

The Consequences of Workplace Behavior

Dr. John Harris, an organizational psychologist at UCLA, emphasizes that workplace parties often reveal underlying dynamics within teams.

His research suggests that people may engage in reckless behavior during such events due to the perceived reduction of professional boundaries.

This can lead to regrettable choices that affect both personal reputations and team cohesion.

Psychological studies indicate that alcohol consumption at office parties tends to lower inhibitions, leading to behavior that might be out of character. Dr. Susan David, an emotional agility expert, states, "When we let our guard down in professional settings, we risk creating a disconnect between our work and personal identities, which can lead to regrettable moments." You can find more insights on her website SusanDavid.com. Understanding these dynamics can help organizations establish clearer guidelines for acceptable behavior.

To mitigate the risks associated with workplace parties, experts suggest establishing clear expectations and boundaries beforehand.

Encouraging mindful consumption of alcohol and promoting team-building activities can foster a positive atmosphere while minimizing potential pitfalls.

Creating an environment where employees feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment can also lead to healthier interactions.

Psychological Analysis

This scenario reflects how the blending of personal and professional identities can lead to risky behavior at workplace events.

By promoting a culture of awareness and respect, organizations can minimize the negative consequences of such gatherings.

Analysis generated by AI

Analysis & Alternative Approaches

Understanding the psychological factors at play during workplace events can help organizations create safer, more enjoyable environments for employees.

By fostering open communication and establishing clear guidelines, companies can promote positive interactions and reduce the likelihood of regrettable choices.

Social dynamics at office parties can bring out both the best and worst in individuals. Studies show that group settings can lead to deindividuation, where people lose self-awareness and feel less accountable for their actions.

According to Dr. Philip Zimbardo's research on the Stanford prison experiment, anonymity and group involvement can lead to extreme behaviors. To mitigate this, organizations might encourage activities that promote individual accountability and foster positive social interactions, helping to maintain a respectful and professional atmosphere during gatherings.

The consequences of poor choices at office parties extend beyond immediate embarrassment and can affect workplace relationships and reputations. Mental health professionals suggest that organizations create clear guidelines for social events, emphasizing the importance of professionalism and respect.

Additionally, promoting a culture of open dialogue about acceptable behavior can empower employees to make wiser choices. Ultimately, fostering a supportive environment will help navigate the complexities of social interactions in the workplace, leading to healthier relationships and a more positive work culture.