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Old 10-10-2010, 03:52 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
73 posts, read 288,801 times
Reputation: 60

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Just curious whether you enjoy a very social workplace or not? My previous job was a lot of younger people like myself, alot of outings after work for drinks, usually several times per week. Often ate lunch as a team. Lots of activities after work going to see baseball games adn stuff.

Don't get me wrong it was fun. Its nice to have some people at work to grab a drink with from time to time, play fantasy sports with, etc, however at some point I kind of feel like I spend 40 plus hours a week with these people, I have my own friends and family at home I'd like to spend some time with.

I kind of felt like not partaking in all the social stuff going on at work my status at work or position in the company kind of suffered.

Just curious waht others feelings are about very social workplaces. Do you like it? If you dont partake all the time are you kind of out of the loop at work?
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Old 10-10-2010, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Orlando, Florida
43,854 posts, read 51,154,207 times
Reputation: 58749
I am good friends with quite a few of the people I work with and consider it a joy to spend time together away from work. We have our age group stuff and many of the younger people go out for drinks and do whatever younger people do. I think when you are personal friends with those you work with that work is much more enjoyable.
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Old 10-10-2010, 04:09 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
73 posts, read 288,801 times
Reputation: 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by GloryB View Post
I am good friends with quite a few of the people I work with and consider it a joy to spend time together away from work. We have our age group stuff and many of the younger people go out for drinks and do whatever younger people do. I think when you are personal friends with those you work with that work is much more enjoyable.
I totally agree with you, I like having people I'm friends with at work, grabbing drinks sometimes after work, catching a game after work, etc.

My previous job however everyone would go out for drinks after work at least 3 times per week often on Fridays going late into the evening. I had some good friends at work but also have my own friends outside of work and would like to get together with them, of spend time with family, or even just have a day after work to go home eat dinner watch some tv and relax.

I decided to stop participating as much and found it wasn't a great career move to do so.
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Old 10-10-2010, 04:15 PM
 
Location: Northside Of Jacksonville
3,337 posts, read 7,117,533 times
Reputation: 3464
Call me old-fashioned but I don't mix business with pleasure. Meaning, I don't like very social workplaces because if you're social on the job, nothing gets done which means deadlines are missed. Of course younger people prefer social workplaces because most of them have no work ethic and would rather go to work to goof off than actually WORK. Being social here and there is fine and I'm ok with that but when it's a constant, that's what I take issue with. I figure, if you have your own friends outside of work then why you would need work friends is beyond me
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Old 10-10-2010, 04:22 PM
 
Location: SW Missouri
15,852 posts, read 35,120,143 times
Reputation: 22695
Quote:
Originally Posted by rulesforrebelsdotcom View Post
Just curious whether you enjoy a very social workplace or not? My previous job was a lot of younger people like myself, alot of outings after work for drinks, usually several times per week. Often ate lunch as a team. Lots of activities after work going to see baseball games adn stuff.

Don't get me wrong it was fun. Its nice to have some people at work to grab a drink with from time to time, play fantasy sports with, etc, however at some point I kind of feel like I spend 40 plus hours a week with these people, I have my own friends and family at home I'd like to spend some time with.

I kind of felt like not partaking in all the social stuff going on at work my status at work or position in the company kind of suffered.

Just curious waht others feelings are about very social workplaces. Do you like it? If you dont partake all the time are you kind of out of the loop at work?
I do not care to socialize with my co-workers. I find that environments that promote a "friendly" environment tend to be highly inefficient because often the people involved are more interested in being friends than they are working.

I worked at one place where EVERYBODY just had to go to lunch at the same time so they could "visit" with each other. As a result, the phones were not answered despite the fact that this business was service-oriented and highly dependent on customer service.

I find also, that in a "friendly work environment" an inordinate amount of time is spent on such things as baby showers, pot luck dinners, etc., when people should be working.

I do not make friends with my co-workers and I do not really like to participate in anything after hours. As a matter of fact, tonight is the 20th wedding anniversary for my boss and they are holding a dinner for him at work. I have no intention of going despite the fact that several of my co-workers are going to suck up. These are just people I work with, that's all they are.

20yrsinBranson
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Old 10-10-2010, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
73 posts, read 288,801 times
Reputation: 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthsideJacksonville View Post
Call me old-fashioned but I don't mix business with pleasure. Meaning, I don't like very social workplaces because if you're social on the job, nothing gets done which means deadlines are missed. Of course younger people prefer social workplaces because most of them have no work ethic and would rather go to work to goof off than actually WORK. Being social here and there is fine and I'm ok with that but when it's a constant, that's what I take issue with. I figure, if you have your own friends outside of work then why you would need work friends is beyond me
That's a pretty broad brush you paint young workers with, were all lazy and have no work ethic?

I think a social work place is a good thing. It's good to see another side of people. Your more willing to go out of your way and help someone who's a friend. However I do agree that line between work and play can get blurred when your getting wasted with people 5 days a week after work. Also, your bound to have people hooking up and have people do embaressing things, get into fights with each other, etc when people are going out getting hammered with co-workers. None of that is productive or good for the workplace.
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Old 10-10-2010, 05:59 PM
 
4,796 posts, read 22,899,264 times
Reputation: 5047
I suppose my office is fairly social. Lots of people spend time with each other outside of the office. Lots of people eat lunch together. Lots of people are 'friends' on social networking sites. I do not participate in these things, most times. I am aware that there is a certain stigma and that my lack of participation may be reflected in my annual bonus and even in my salary. I don't care. My personal life and overall happiness in life are more important to me than a few extra bucks in my paycheck. It's not that I don't like my colleagues. Most of them are very nice and I like them a lot. I feel very fortunate to work with such great people. But I'm a solitary individual. I live alone. I travel alone. I eat alone. I listen to music alone. I spend my free time mostly alone. By choice. I can't handle being surrounded by people 24/7. I need my lunch break to get away from people and decompress. And when the workday is over I'm ready to go home to my solitary life. It's just who I am.

I'm not criticizing my coworkers for their social activities either. They are who they are. And I certainly don't to pressure anyone into not doing what makes them happy. Nor do I think their desire to spend free time with one another equates to them being lazy or lacking in ethics. They are just different than me.
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Old 10-10-2010, 06:19 PM
 
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,012,380 times
Reputation: 36027
I tend to prefer a social work environment as long as the social aspect does not interfere with productivity. I detest cliques and other social situations where certain employees are excluded. Where I work now has some time for social small talk but the work always comes first.
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Old 10-10-2010, 07:22 PM
 
Location: Cornelius, NC
1,045 posts, read 2,657,189 times
Reputation: 679
I prefer to go to work in order to do my job, not go there to make friends and drink with them after work. I guess I am a bit traditional too. I don't mind a little small talk here and there, but I prefer the main focus at work to be work so that I don't get myself into trouble and in order to meet deadlines.
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Old 10-10-2010, 07:45 PM
 
Location: Stuck in NE GA right now
4,585 posts, read 12,361,755 times
Reputation: 6678
NO, I have a life outside of work, I'm there to work not "play". I do not socilize with people from work outside of work unless forced to by mandatory after work events. I usually have little in common with those I work with.
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