The Cambridge English Dictionary defines ‘etiquette’ as “the set of rules or customs that control accepted behaviour in particular social groups or social situations”. Without this set of behavioural guidelines, society would quickly dissolve into an unruly mob of ego-driven individuals causing chaos with dire ramifications. And much like queue jumping and turning sans indicating is frowned upon, so too are the guests whose behaviour flies in the face of good manners.
We’ve dealt with our fair share of attendees who seem to live in a parallel world where good behaviour is optional. You know the people we’re talking about: the ones who arrive late to an event, seemingly without caring that they’ve interrupted the proceedings and then loudly complain when they can’t find their assigned seat.
We think it’s high time that these type of guests get called out. In no particular order, these are the ‘Eventiquette’ rules that all guests should follow:
Don’t accept an invitation if you have no intention of attending
Feigning delight when you receive a pair of socks from your mother-in-law on Christmas day is one thing, but faking the fact that you’re going to attend an event when you have no intention of doing so is another matter entirely. You might feel obliged to RSVP “Yes”, but the consequences of leading an event team on (so to speak) are costly and downright rude. “False” positive RSVPs cost companies big time. As well as detracting from the ROI of an event, no-show guests also prevent us from hosting another guest who would have been genuinely interested in attending. If you have no interest in attending an event or are simply “keeping your options open”, swallow the guilt and politely decline. As the saying goes, “No” is a full sentence.
If you’ve declined the invitation, don’t arrive at the event and then demand to be let in
FOMO isn’t an excuse for rocking up to an event that you’ve RSVP’d “No” to. The knock-on effect of a surprise guest – often with a partner in tow – is substantial. Event managers aren’t magicians. Nor are they servants. When a guest arrives unexpectedly, we have to have to reshuffle seating arrangements, beg catering to whip up an extra course and rush around looking for a name badge and parking pass. This act is nothing sort of selfish entitlement – yet it’s all too common. Once you’ve declined an invitation, your name is replaced by another, which means that arriving unexpectedly isn’t only incredibly rude, it creates a stressful situation for event organisers too.
Respect the clock
Guests who arrive late to an event throw all manner of spanners in the works. It’s not okay to arrive half an hour after an event has commenced and then casually waltz into the auditorium, nudging past fellow attendees to your seat. In fact, it’s unacceptable. The starting time of an event isn’t negotiable. You may have a relaxed relationship with the clock in your day-today-life, but if you’re attending a corporate event, make sure you’re on time.
Behave as if your grandmother was watching
Now is not the time to yell “YOLO” and throw all acceptable behaviour out the window. Rowdy, unruly guests ruin the event for everyone. A corporate event is not an opportunity to let your hair down and behave as if you’ve just graduated high school. You’re there on someone else’s dime, and therefore, are required to be on your best behaviour at all times.
Have you dealt with your share of guests who refuse to follow eventiquette? Share your stories with us below!
