Disappointed in junior staff

[Anonymous]

My work office party is next Friday during lunch and I’m not going. I hate them. I being trapped talking to people I have nothing in common with and nothing to talk about. If they want to talk work - I’d consider. But we’re not suppose to talk about work. It’s just a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not really a fan of serving alcohol at mandatory business functions. I've had two family members die of alcoholism.

I'd attend but I would not be crazy about it.

Those that are in recovery can struggle at these functions.

Goes to show how shitty people are today. Back in 1999 I attended a mandatory two week training, team building and fun stuff with my company. Mandatory.

Was amazing they flew us out to a Dude Ranch in AZ. Was Monday till
Friday at lunch time next week.

We went to a baseball game, did volunteer work, horseback riding, went out to amazing restaurants, hung out at pool. To add to fun zero guests allowed and no going home on weekend and we were assigned a roommate or you could pick one.

I was only at the firm one year. My wife was 6 months pregnant out first child.

It turned out amazing I loved it. It later became one week. We did Disney, Vegas (twice), New Orleans, Hollywood. I looked forward to it every year. The mandatory and no guess made it great.

The AZ one was funny as we ran into Sammy Sosa and we got him dead drunk. We also had huge Xmas parties fancy hotels with spouse and monthly drinks, all paid for by company, the women with kids loved it the most!!! We even paid for in house certified child care while away so we paid for a full time nanny so if you had a working spouse had no excuse.

[Anonymous]

You’re not an effective if you can’t communicate what is expected to your team or schedule these events in non-disruptive ways. That if the problem not your “jr staff” who, I promise, are looking elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Really surprised to see a lot of these responses but maybe I just work for a different type of company. Before COVID we were never allowed to work from home and had to be in the office 5 days per week no exception. Not sure where everyone on DCUM works but among my group of friends nearly everyone is back in 3-4 days per week so being asked to come in for meetings or events is not unusual at all. The party was planned for a Friday because it’s generally the only day people don’t have meetings and can take a block of time to have lunch somewhere other than their desk. While my boss did not make either event mandatory, her email said verbatim “I would really like everyone to make every effort to attend these two events.” Seems pretty clear to me, and I am surprised that when other people’s bosses make requests like this they don’t do what is being asked, even if they would prefer not to attend a silly holiday get together. The culture of my company is very much celebrating in person together, always has been and always will be. And yes, in exchange for coming in on the Friday/Monday, they could work from home any other days that week, they were not losing the days.

The junior employees are ages 23-26, so definitely not millennials. None of them have children or caregiver obligations. I am a 39 year old millennial with 2 young kids and a husband currently traveling for work so I know all about childcare and scheduling challenges, but with 2 months notice I still found a way to make it work. As did every single person on the team with kids. Lastly, our core office hours are 9-5:30 so the party was not after hours, and the days we work in the office we need to be there until 5:30 so that part should not have been an issue.

I’m guessing these junior staffers joined the workforce during COVID, so they have no knowledge or experience with the terrible mandatory holiday lunch and cocktail party thing that we all suffer through. They have no experience with what the working world was like in the pre-expanded telework, pre-COVID world and have no concept of pointless in person work events. You didn’t specify it was mandatory, just did the nebulous make an effort to attend. Communicate more clearly.

[Anonymous]

There are unwritten rules in life and work that shouldn’t have to be spelt out. When the big boss comes to the office, make sure your ass is there, is one of them.

If 3 days in the office per week is the requirement and they could take another day as WFH instead of the Friday then no protocol was broken and everyone gets paid to attend a party. That’s a good deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Millennials won’t work a minute longer than they are being paid to work. They have a time clock mentality.

Which is completely appropriate. But I think you mean Gen Z. Most millennials are mid-career, not "junior."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: There are unwritten rules in life and work that shouldn’t have to be spelt out. When the big boss comes to the office, make sure your ass is there, is one of them.

If 3 days in the office per week is the requirement and they could take another day as WFH instead of the Friday then no protocol was broken and everyone gets paid to attend a party. That’s a good deal.

Yeah, seems really basic “managing up” to me, but I am Gen X. If you don’t want to manage up that’s fine but then don’t complain that no one knows your name or what you look like bc your camera is always off and you don’t come to the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: There are unwritten rules in life and work that shouldn’t have to be spelt out. When the big boss comes to the office, make sure your ass is there, is one of them.

If 3 days in the office per week is the requirement and they could take another day as WFH instead of the Friday then no protocol was broken and everyone gets paid to attend a party. That’s a good deal.

Cool. This attitude disadvantages those with low SES backgrounds. But, please pat yourself on the back for knowing everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: There are unwritten rules in life and work that shouldn’t have to be spelt out. When the big boss comes to the office, make sure your ass is there, is one of them.

If 3 days in the office per week is the requirement and they could take another day as WFH instead of the Friday then no protocol was broken and everyone gets paid to attend a party. That’s a good deal.

Cool. This attitude disadvantages those with low SES backgrounds. But, please pat yourself on the back for knowing everything.

Why is *everything* hot button issue these days. We are talking about spending 45 minutes with the boss for crying out loud. By the way, most low SES people work in person jobs that cannot be done remotely. So you’re just wrong.

[Anonymous]

The holiday lunch is the one thing the junior staff are guaranteed to show up for in our office.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get why anyone cares if someone goes to a holiday party. I have a small business and employ a small number of people. Every year I ask them if they want to go out to a nice dinner or if they want the cash I would have spent on the dinner to be split equally amongst them. They usually pick the cash and it’s completely fine with me. Forcing people to socialize anymore than they must or want to is just cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We don't drink alcohol in my religion, so I don't attend these events. They should be optional.

You have your own religion? How did you start it?

BTW we serve mock tails my company and my wife attended twice when pregnant. She ate food, had a Virgin pina colada or a soda. I only drink 2-3 drinks as wife with me a boss. Very little drinking going on. I have more cokes and coffee then liquor

It's called Islam. There are a lot of countries where alcohol is forbidden. I guess you don't travel outside of the US much or have Muslim friends/co-workers.

And what’s wrong with that? So freaking entitled…

Is this really how you defend your ignorance of very basic details about Islam? Mormons also don’t drink. No international travel required for you to know about them.

Um, my husband is a Mormon and some of my coworkers are Muslims so yeah, you are entitled and ignorant. Check yourself.

[Anonymous]

We have experienced similar in our workplace. We bought tickets to a baseball game and had a pre-game happy hour in the office. The most junior employees couldn't be bothered to attend the happy hour (we didn't even ask them to work in the office that day!) and just met us at the game.

I spend a lot of time thinking and reading on this topic and one interesting piece I read suggested that as a result of the pandemic/being remote is that work has become more transactional. People feel less like they are part of something and that the importance of belonging at work is fading.

A transactional relationship with your employer means that you don't feel swayed by invitations to holiday parties, or extra days in the office, or working more hours than 40. You do your job and you go log out for the day.

I'm a Gen X HR executive and I'm trying to change the way that I think about all of this. In my mind, you worked your a** off in your 20's to build up some capital so that when your life became more complicated you could attend to your personal obligations. There is a real shift happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't drink alcohol in my religion, so I don't attend these events. They should be optional.

You have your own religion? How did you start it?

BTW we serve mock tails my company and my wife attended twice when pregnant. She ate food, had a Virgin pina colada or a soda. I only drink 2-3 drinks as wife with me a boss. Very little drinking going on. I have more cokes and coffee then liquor

It's called Islam. There are a lot of countries where alcohol is forbidden. I guess you don't travel outside of the US much or have Muslim friends/co-workers.

And what’s wrong with that? So freaking entitled…

Is this really how you defend your ignorance of very basic details about Islam? Mormons also don’t drink. No international travel required for you to know about them.

Um, my husband is a Mormon and some of my coworkers are Muslims so yeah, you are entitled and ignorant. Check yourself.

More Men?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have experienced similar in our workplace. We bought tickets to a baseball game and had a pre-game happy hour in the office. The most junior employees couldn't be bothered to attend the happy hour (we didn't even ask them to work in the office that day!) and just met us at the game.

I spend a lot of time thinking and reading on this topic and one interesting piece I read suggested that as a result of the pandemic/being remote is that work has become more transactional. People feel less like they are part of something and that the importance of belonging at work is fading.

A transactional relationship with your employer means that you don't feel swayed by invitations to holiday parties, or extra days in the office, or working more hours than 40. You do your job and you go log out for the day.

I'm a Gen X HR executive and I'm trying to change the way that I think about all of this. In my mind, you worked your a** off in your 20's to build up some capital so that when your life became more complicated you could attend to your personal obligations. There is a real shift happening.

Or they are lazy spoiled brats. This trend however first started happening in 2001. It was slow at first. I used to hold a twice a year quarterly update meeting at a nice restaurant with a two hour meeting where we had open bar first 30 minutes with some appetizers. We sit down to lunch with a salad, full meal, dessert coffee. We have a guest speaker on a cool topic speak for 45 minutes. We have like 150 people.

Around 2005 someone asked for a dial in number, then some asked for slides!! By 2014 we stopped them. Literally bizarre. Your boss is asking you to goof off and relax and folks would rather sit at cube by themselves. WFH just amplified it