9 things you should never say to your coworkers at the office holiday party

9 things you should never say to yur coworkers at the sekretariat holiday party9 things you should never say to your coworkers at the office holiday partyToo much booze, end-of-year stress, and coworkers can be a recipe for disaster.Thats why office holiday parties are such a minefield of awkward situations.Many offices are doing away with alcohol, or the party altogether, in the wake of sexual misconduct scandalscurrently plaguing a range of industries.But if your office is having festivities this year, its crucial to remember thatyoure pretty much still at work, even if its a party.You need to be able to loosen upand enjoy yourself withoutlooking like a complete foolor jeopardizing your job.Business Insider spoke with HR and career professionals to highlight topics youll want to avoid at your office holiday party1. Could you introduce me to your daughter/son?Avoid hitting on your coworkers relatives. Its awkward and it wont end well.Be careful about jokes or crude remarks there is leidhing like your colleague asking to be introduced to your daughter that really makes the night and subsequent days at work uncomfortable, Rebecca Henderson, CEO of HR firmRandstad Sourceright, told Business Insider.2. I never realized you had such an amazing body - the way you dress in the office is far too conservativeTriNetdirector of human capital services Jackie Breslin said, Give a compliment that is appropriate and wont make a coworker uncomfortable. A fair number of workplace complaints regarding inappropriate conduct have an origin at the company holiday party.CEO of HR consulting firmOperationsInc.David Lewis agrees, noting that even statements as simple as You look great can come across as creepy. Avoid anything that suggests anything sexual in lieu of the word great, he said.On a similar note, the holiday party is usually not the time to confess your office crush.Dont use the holiday party as an excuse to share your intimate feelings with a colleague, saidTopResumecar eer advice expert Amanda Augustine.Basically, dont forget that youre still at work.3. Can I drive you home?If you and your coworkers have been drinking, its important to make sure your coworkers are safe to drive. However, if youre not sure about a colleagues level of intoxication, you dont want to sound overbearing or off putting.Instead, try, I hate driving home after a party, dont you? Lets call it a night and call an Uber, said All the Leader You Can Be author Suzanne Bates.If alcohol is served, the one thing you dont want to say is Can I drive you home?4. Im so drunk right nowSpeaking of alcohol, dont bethatperson at the party. You know, the one who drinks too much and inflicts terrible karaoke or tearful confessions or some other form of sloppy drama on everyone else.Augustine says that its important to have the right mindset. Its one thing to have a drink or two throughout the evening, she said. Its another thing to make it your mission to get drunk at the company party. This event is a unique opportunity to network with colleagues outside the office in a fun, relaxed environment. Dont drink too much and say things youll regret the next day.5. Have you heard Dont engage in gossip or feed the rumor mill at the office party, staffing agencyRobert Halfsenior executive director Paul McDonald said.Its not the time or place.Unless its very innocuous, spreading office gossip is just rude and unprofessional.Avoid mean-girl gossip and instead engage with colleagues about their lives outside the cubicle, Augustine says.6. I hate my boss / Im putting in my noticeYikes. The holiday party is neither the time nor the place to whine about your teamberater or announce that youre quitting. Save serious complaints and news for a regular workday.Holiday parties should not be used as a chance to vent or complain - no one likes a GrinchAdecco Staffingsenior vice president Amy Glaser said. Plus, its very unprofessional. Whats more, you should be careful not to divulge sens itive information or start conversations that should be had in a highly professional setting. For example, if there is a coworker you arent getting along with, or if you have a big career move coming up, recognize that a holiday party is not the appropriate environment to share such information with your peers or your supervisor.Even if youre just mouthing off to your work buddies, your words can have serious consequences down the road.7. Did you get your bonbon yet?Avoid talking about money at all costs.McDonald noted that bonuses can be a particularly sensitive topic. In all likelihood, not everyone in your company is getting a bonus this year. Avoid compensation-related talk in general.In a social setting like a holiday party, it can feel more permissible to talk about subjects youd normally save for behind closed doors, said management consulting firmRight Managementexecutive vice president Bram Lowsky. Instead, save those types of conversations for another time and use the easy -going atmosphere to make new connections and relate to others on a personal level.8. Lets spike the eggnogDeloittes Leadership Center for ClientsNational Director Kim Christfort said there are certain behaviors that can tick off your coworkers.At work parties, while there are many things to avoid doing in general (drunken karaoke being high on that list in my experience), there are also things that are particularly unappealing to specific individuals based on their different working styles, she told Business Insider. So dont say shall we spike that eggnog to someone who doesnt like to break the rules.9. Everythings going pretty well in our department Many of the professionals Business Insider spoke to agreed on one thing Work is a major topic to be avoided at the office holiday party.Maestro HealthCEO Rob Butler said to treat the festivities as a chance to get to know colleagues on a more personal level. Encourage your employees to turn off work-mode and learn about their coworkers passions and hobbies, he says.Its also important to warn your guests not to bring up jarring questions about work. AsSAPsoftware company executive vice president of HR Brigette McInnis-Day said, Oftentimes, I find that employees spouses or partners will ask me about opportunities for advancement or raise issues of concern at a holiday party. For example theyll ask about bonus achievements, stock options success, reorganization, or if their loved one will get a new opportunity they applied for and if they didnt get it, give feedback on how displeased they are. This is always uncomfortable, but even more so during a fun social event which is meant for people to relax and connect.Senior vice president at career networkBeyondJoe Weinlick explained that discussions revolving around work can make people feel uncomfortable.Never ask, When will that project be finished? at your holiday party. The holiday party should be a fun event free from the stress of the job. Save shop talk for when y oure back in the office.So, if you cant talk about work with your colleagues, what should you talk about? LinkedIn career expertCatherine Fisherrecommended doing some research in buchung to get the conversation flowing. If small talk isnt your strong suit, feel free to look up your colleagues recent activity on LinkedIn for potential topics of conversation.This article was originally published on BusinessInsider.