Halloween is hiding just around the corner.
While you might have picked out your costume months ago, it’s important to remember that if you plan to wear that costume to work or decorate your office space, you must keep your audience in mind. To help prevent any frightening situations, here are five things to think about as you plan your spook-takular day:
1. Holiday decorating policy
Before anything else, check to make sure your company doesn’t have a ban on certain decorations. For safety reasons, it is common for companies to prohibit items such as candles, electrical lights, live evergreens, or yes, fog machines.
2. Simplicity is key
While your full body of armor may make you someone’s knight in shining armor at your post-work Halloween party, after eight hours in a cubicle, perhaps you won’t even make it there. Instead dig out those cat ears, witch hats and pumpkin t-shirts and call it a successful workday.
3. Holidays don’t cancel out the dress code
Everyone knows and should be following the standard for dress in their workplace. However, in recent years, it has been shown that with great effort, any costume idea can be become “sexy.” Remember that just because it is a holiday, doesn’t mean the usual dress code doesn’t apply. If your outfit has only a percentage of the material you wear on a normal day, it’s probably best to rethink your decision.
4. Stay clear of controversy
One person’s idea of a funny costume, may not be the same as another. Try to avoid costumes that could be insensitive to someone else’s culture, religion, political stance, or related to a recent hot-button news story.
5. Find other ways to celebrate
Instead of dressing up, place some sweet treats on your desk. While many companies encourage healthy eating habits, once a year it can be okay to indulge. Another idea is to plan a team-building exercise. Use the usual lunch hour to plan a team lunch and use that time to decorate pumpkins that can be displayed in your workspace.
If your company is restricting what you can do to celebrate this year, don’t take it personally.
The people who make these decisions want to keep everyone’s best interests in mind. Besides, it’s better to wait until after work to celebrate, rather than end up in your boss’s office on Nov. 1 because you didn’t leave your fake blood and sword at home the day before.
