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Happy Hour: Bonding ritual, or feast for faux pas?

Happy hour is a time honored, workplace tradition of team building and bonding with co-workers. But as one recent CareerBuilder survey points out, happy hour has more often than not, turned into a pitfall for acting unprofessional.

Some of the highlights of the survey include:

- 15 percent go to hear the latest office gossip.

- 13 percent go because they feel obligated.

- 10 percent shared a secret about a colleague.

- 8 percent kissed a colleague.

- 8 percent said they drank too much and acted unprofessionally.

Ok, so the above doesn't sound like a recipe for successful team building, but it also doesn't mean that happy hours are not beneficial to the work environment.

Although some workers may over indulge in drink, make sure that you are not one of them by limiting yourself to a two drink maximum. It is also important to eat a meal or at least appetizers.

If you are in charge of organizing a happy hour, make sure to keep it short, probably two to three hours at the most. That way, those who feel obligated to attend do not feel trapped or have to be uncomfortable about leaving too early, and co-workers who are close friends can continue their night out if they choose. Also, make sure everyone is aware that a happy hour is taking place, so some workers do not feel left out.

Happy hours are meant to be fun and festive, and they can bring workers close together. Just be careful about how much "fun" you do have, and keep conversation casual...you may even want to consider taking the "work" out of happy hour!

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