As a general rule, mixing business with pleasure is a bad idea. Socialization outside work is pleasure. Work is business. And if you mix the two, it can affect your employment. Keeping business and pleasure (or your social life) is a smart choice. But sometimes it might be hard to keep the two separate.
Your personal life may not always be private. From social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, to social gatherings at restaurants, bars, and/or parties – your personal life and the habits you form outside of work can affect your employment.
"What you do off the job is determining factor in how far you will go on the job." Zig Ziglar
That being said, poor habits that include: inappropriate behavior and irresponsible activities in your personal life can affect your career and employment – so beware!
Here are 3 things that are ‘habitual’ that can greatly affect your employment.
1. Social Network behavior
2. Partying and Bar hopping
3. Public display of inappropriateness
These three things can become habits. They may seem obvious, but to many, they are oblivious to what they do in their personal life can affect their work performance and employment.
1. Social Network Behavior
Social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and other Internet socializing most likely starts at home. The habit and the lifestyle of those that ‘social network’ seems to be the same – they can’t stay off the computer to post statuses, updates, tweets and reply to friends, family, and possibly coworkers.
This habit may lead to inappropriate comments, inappropriate pictures, and all around private matters that can immediately get to a work supervisor, manager, or boss. There are many safeguards and precautions that a person can use, but most of the time they are neglected, forgotten, or unimportant.
Social Networking and the habit it creates can lead to ‘Facebooking’ at work. Tweeting that you are in the bathroom may not be appropriate or a work related activity. It is a distraction, it costs the company money, and it takes you away from productivity.
2. Partying and Bar hopping
This, in itself, may not lead to employment consequences, but as mentioned above, if it is habitual it can affect your work life and career. Partying and Bar hoping on a consistent basis may cause unproductively at work. This activity can also draw attention to your personal life as a personal life that a company does not condone. Unfortunately, the work life, personal life separation is not always respected. And if this lifestyle you live is not considered what a company accepts, your job may be in jeopardy.
With social networking sites, you just might be publicizing your social activity to the world – and that means your employer.
3. Public display of inappropriateness
Your actions should always be responsible – especially in public. If you throw public tyrants, if you are causing arguments at company softball game, or if you are being bailed out of jail for drunkenness on a consistent basis, you are not being a responsible human being.
If you are not responsible, and cannot conduct your personal life – especially in public - with good behavior, you may not represent the company in the way they want to be represented no matter what time of day it is or whether it is during or after work hours.
Your responsibility to yourself, to your company, and to your job is to conduct yourself in a manner that is respectful and trustworthy. If you don’t, even if you are not at work, this can greatly change your company’s perception of you. Be careful, learn to know your limits, and always beware of the watchful eye of your company. They may be you next-door neighbor – so mind yourself and learn good manners.