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I would say this is a relationship-type of question here.
I've worked at a few places where just some people go to work, and go home to their families. Others, they want to hit a place to eat after work. I guess for some, your social life is their co-workers. But this may be typical in more smaller communities.
I read a few articles online where some prefer to keep their work place life separate from their outside-of-work friends. Some don't like the idea of bonding with their co-workers....even when the boss calls for it, when they do a pow-wow fun meeting to "tell a little bit about yourselves(ourselves)."
I worked at a place for a year where some co-workers have developed close bonds with each other over time. Some become REAL friends. If you find you have something in common, even better. I think some even hooked their friends up with a job there when there was an opening available. So some already knew each other prior to working there.
Recently, a guy was trying to get some people to hang out after work to do some bowling or whatever. A small amount did go, while others had things to do.
Shoot, some guy at work hosted a personal Halloween party with his co-workers at his place. I even had co-worker lady get a little frisky with me on the dance floor.
Not sure whether or not this would create a conflict of interest or whatever
Depends on your definition of "socialize". I certainly did have casual friendships with co-workers many times, got together with co-workers numerous times. IME, the "culture" is different from workplace to workplace. I usually worked in very small communities. To try not to socialize with colleagues in those tiny towns would have been unrealistic. You would meet up with those same people outside work for multiple reasons. Civic projects, pot lucks, community holidays, public meetings, mutual friend weddings, birthdays, retirements, just being in the same locations at the same times during off hours. Can't recall a time when anything about those friendships would have created a conflict of interest. We were discriminating, responsible adults after all. If someone had tried to take unfair advantage of me due to our workplace relationship I wouldn't have tolerated it.
As for romantic socializing...everyone should know this way there be dragons.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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I had to learn this lesson the hard way but I will not socialize with my coworkers outside of my office. Covid in one way was a Godsend for me since it caused my position to be 100% remote so I don’t even have to be bothered with the team building events and happy hours BS.
I want my coworkers to know VERY little about me outside my job. My personal life was used against me on multiple occasions in prior jobs and I will not give my coworkers any ammo to use against me.
I had to learn this lesson the hard way but I will not socialize with my coworkers outside of my office. Covid in one way was a Godsend for me since it caused my position to be 100% remote so I don’t even have to be bothered with the team building events and happy hours BS.
I want my coworkers to know VERY little about me outside my job. My personal life was used against me on multiple occasions in prior jobs and I will not give my coworkers any ammo to use against me.
What do you do in your free time that can be used against you? Are you in a cult, eating cats?
Yes… we had a ski team, a co-ed softball team, and beach volleyball team. A lot of people had work wives and husbands and there were a lot of couples who’d gotten together at work. We spent more time with our co-workers than we did with our families so yes we’d socialize together.
Yes all the time. Some of my best and closest friends came from previous jobs. What I have never done is date someone from work and then breakup with them and still have to work together. Now THAT would suck.
Many of my best friends started out as co-workers. I've dated co-workers and, yes, broke up and still had to work with them. It helps to be mature enough to have civil break-ups and not be spiteful or cruel.
Overall w/ ALL of the jobs I've had not really. The rare times I did, it wasn't w/ a group, it was a gal in which we met up 1-on-1 usually on a different day from the day we worked. I worked a lot of years in the education field, so a lot of this was meeting for lunch during the summer when school was out & not really during the school year.
Now re: a budding romantic relationship, I've actually met my last 2 boyfriends at my work at the time & they worked out well. With both of those relationships, we dated a WHOLE LOT longer than the jobs lasted & it wasn't due to us dating. Dating & the workplace never caused trouble nor coincided.
I don't see the problem w/ being friends w/ people from work. Now a romantic relationship is another story, but can be done IF done right.
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