Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My boss asks me every Friday what I have planned for the weekend, then never listens to the answer. I've discovered its just an ice breaker for him to tell me about HIS exciting plans.
Exactly! Not all, but many want to open the door in hopes that you will ask what their plans are; same as the typical Monday morning, "How was your weekend? What did you do?".
Worked with a couple gals who would claim they, and others, who didn't have plans every weekend were losers. Very sad. But then, many people have to be doing something most of the time or they feel lost.
. Nobody has chosen his/her coworkers and nobody has an obligation to socialize with them, confide in them, and share his/her personal life with them, unless they choose to. Most people do not care to share their swinging parties, AA meetings, one-night stands, clothing-optional getaways, drunken nights, crying their eyes out alone, etc. with their coworkers. Those of you with very conventional lifestyles may not mind it; others do. It's as simple as that.
"What are you doing this weekend" has to be the most common conversation starter in the workplace on the planet. Its a nicety. The answer could be kept as nuetral a reply as, "I'm cutting my grass" or "planting my garden". Cutting my grass or planting my garden could be taken as a play on words, but no pun intended.
The majority don't want to hear about their co-workers swingers lifestyle, one nite stands or how horrific their latest break up. Any amount of common sense would tell you it doesn't belong in the workplace.
Well, given how hard I work, I don't need a lecture on what an office is. What's more, since I'm in them daily, have owned them, and consult for them, I'm pretty keen on what makes a good one work.
Sorry. Owning them and visiting them does not count.
I never understood or bought into this. If I never hung out with the co-worker why ask me that?
I understand asking if its a holiday, but a normal weekend? whats the point of asking that?
I get asked that every Monday morning without fail. It's the same guy that talks about Ipods all day. I just tell him "not much." A pointless question gets a pointless response.
I've watched this thread for a couple days now after throwing something in earlier. What I find somewhat puzzling is the obliviousness of many respondents on what it takes to make an efficient and even pleasant work environment. It's not being a bunch of non-communicative drones focused only on the next column of whatever.
A couple or three decades ago when US businesses were trying to expand into the Far East, specifically Japan and China the biggest complaint from the native businessmen was that the Americans didn't know how to make small talk and exchange pleasantries, which are important components of both those cultures. Instead, the Americans would launch right into whatever their pitch was. Offended the Chinese and Japanese both.
Well, given how hard I work, I don't need a lecture on what an office is. What's more, since I'm in them daily, have owned them, and consult for them, I'm pretty keen on what makes a good one work. No, it's not like a sitcom where people sit around discussing personal problems while the phones ring unanswered and work goes undone.
However, one of the key ingredients for a successful, collaborative office environment is one where the employees have mutual regard for one another. And a brief five-minute conversation every few days isn't exactly going to drag workplace productivity down into the dirt. Typically it's the exact opposite. For people do business with people, and people enjoy working with people they enjoy being with. Hey, be a misanthrope all you want, but that's just basic human nature. It doesn't require being a drinking buddy, and it certainly doesn't require revealing embarrassing details about one's personal life. After all, spend a five-day business trip with someone who is incapable of any conversation outside of the matter at hand, and the experience is the equivalent of a root canal without anesthesia.
And, as usual, you can be relied on to take things to their extreme. I certainly don't want to hear about a client or colleague's sex life, romantic dustups, or the whatnot. However, I don't mind knowing a little about their life outside the office, what they enjoy, what their hobbies might be, etc. etc. And if it's TMI, then I let them know politely.
While you have a point for some people it may seem intrusive. Many would prefer a simple exchange of "have a nice weekend" or on Monday "did you have a nice weekend?".
That way one can decide to just say "yes" or if they want give more detail.
In regards to traveling with coworkers, I had to take a week long business trip with the director of my department(two levels above me) which involved traveling to three states.
Yes we made small talk, as we shared many meals together and were on the same planes(all though I made sure to get a seat away from his on our flight from LA to Chicago)as I wanted to read and not be stuck for 3 hours trying to make small talk or spend all that time talking about work.
The last night of the trip we ended up going to a bar with a group from the last division we were visiting.
I had two drinks(didn't even finish the last one) and while I made small talk I never forgot that this isn't a social setting.
While you have a point for some people it may seem intrusive. Many would prefer a simple exchange of "have a nice weekend" or on Monday "did you have a nice weekend?".
That way one can decide to just say "yes" or if they want give more detail.
In regards to traveling with coworkers, I had to take a week long business trip with the director of my department(two levels above me) which involved traveling to three states.
Yes we made small talk, as we shared many meals together and were on the same planes(all though I made sure to get a seat away from his on our flight from LA to Chicago)as I wanted to read and not be stuck for 3 hours trying to make small talk or spend all that time talking about work.
The last night of the trip we ended up going to a bar with a group from the last division we were visiting.
I had two drinks(didn't even finish the last one) and while I made small talk I never forgot that this isn't a social setting.
I think it's only intrusive if you only been on the job for a month or so. No one should be asking me about what I'm doing on the weekend until 2012-lol
I never understood or bought into this. If I never hung out with the co-worker why ask me that?
I understand asking if its a holiday, but a normal weekend? whats the point of asking that?
If the people are really nosy and you never give them anything interesting, they will eventually leave you alone. Might take a while. Then again, they maybe selecting you because they're afraid you're a unabomber and they are trying to reassure themselves you won't take the place out. It's a pychological trick to make you feel included just enough. However, office security should be everyone's concern so I don't really blame them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
