All dangers of an office party

There's no doubt that a raucous office Christmas party provides an excellent way for employees to let off steam. But as the warm white wine flows and the Wotsits grow stale, there will be more than just a few dodgy dance moves and a photocopied body part to worry about the next day.

A survey has found that one in four of us will kiss a colleague at their work Christmas party over the coming weeks.

The poll of 2,000 people revealed that a quarter of office workers find themselves in a romantic embrace at the annual work bash.

Those who work in human resources are the most likely to have a liaison, with 55 per cent admitting to having kissed a colleague, although those in PR are the most likely to go all the way, with a third admitting they have taken a co-worker to bed at the end of the night.

Untold embarrassment is in store for the two per cent of workers who drunkenly decide the Christmas party is a good time to declare their love to a colleague.

Red cheeks are also due for those who share secrets they later regret - one in ten admit to doing this regularly - as well as the one in five who will let their co-workers know exactly what they think of them in an alcohol-fuelled rant.

Coming as no surprise to those who already suspected those in the financial sector of a lack of self-control, bankers are revealed as the most likely to get drunk and make a fool of themselves.

Those in the teaching profession are the most likely to call in sick after the work party, with one in ten admitting they have committed the ultimate post-party no-no.

Relationship psychologist Susan Quilliam says: "Psychologically, people need an occasional break from the normal social rules and constraints that the workplace in particular can impose. They need just one night when they're able to let loose and do things they maybe wouldn't normally do, but with a 'get out of jail free' card the next morning."

Getting together in a social setting will bring colleagues together, allow you to see another side to those you work with and allow them to see another side of you, help everyone feel close.

A restaurant outing is ideal because everyone can chat to everyone else across the table during the meal - and food and drink will oil those social wheels. All that will actually help turnover and productivity in the New Year.

So the message to all those bosses out there is this: if you haven't already booked your work party, do it now!