I hate that stuff too! And especially when coworkers (and sometimes your manager) organize gatherings in the weekend, and if it is your manager hosting, of course you have to show up. I hate it! They are stealing from my free time

Why not just everyone chip in and order pizza or bbq? Potluck is such a gamble.

People shouldn't complain but I am otherwise on their side; I avoid these activities.

Anonymous wrote:We have about 20 people in our contracts department. Every year there are 2 people who refuse to participate in Halloween potluck lunches, secret Santa gift exchanges, summer barbeque and the occasional happy hour. Personally, I am okay with people not participating especially if they do not want to be there, why bring the moral down you know? But there's a few in this department who take it personal that these 2 individuals do not participate. The spend weeks yearly complaining. I don't care one way or the other if we stopped having these gatherings. These 2 people stick to theirs guns about team building exercises being so outdated and being forced to hang out with co-workers is a thing of the past. Are they correct?

It's work, not pre-school. A Halloween potluck lunch and secret Santa are not team building exercises. Once social activities become overly organized and not spontaneous (Hey, who wants to grab a drink) they become drudgery.

your co-workers should cool it with the complaining. The anti-joiners should probably show up to a farewell party now and then. everyone puts up with some less-than-perfect stuff to make a team function well.

personally, I used to love office events . . . until I had kids and sick parents. I really, really, really don't have time or energy to pour into work, whether its good for morale or not. I suck it up and go every now and then anyway because I do think they're good for the overall functioning of the team.

I refuse to participate in after work hour events that I do not get paid to attend. That's my personal time. Work doesn't get to infringe on that.

I'm not a fan of potlucks and holiday decorating contests and that kind of crap. I don't participate in them and as a manager I don't require my staff to participate.

That said, I do host a planning/team building retreat each summer that is focused on the work and how we can improve performance through collaboration. And I treat my staff to a lunch out several times during the year after the successful completion of big projects or initiatives. And I've hosted a holiday dinner at my home. But I certainly would not REQUIRE (other than the planning retreat) participation in any of these things. We are a small staff of 5 and we consistently have one person who does not participate. She's an extreme introvert, doesn't chat much in the office, etc. It's fine. She is who she is and it's her choice.

Halloween potlucks? Seriously? Nothing dumber than co-workers wearing Halloween costumes to work. Grow up already!

I'm fine with any social activity during work hours since I'm there already, but I absolutely avoid attending after hours events if at all possible. I agree that it's too much like being at work.

I'll add one more gripe about awards luncheons. They are extremely long and boring.

I don't see how they are mandatory. I do not participate either. I'm so darn sick of polucks for every holiday. I work for a federal agency and we don't have any sort of paid celebration, so it's potlucks that cost to attend for our parties. It's ridiculous.

I, too, am in a department that continues to plan these type of events mentioned above and it is so obvious 90% of the people do not want to participate which makes the room uncomfortable and awkward. Office potlucks, gift exchanges etc are so outdated and should be banned from the workplace!

Yeah, I hate this stuff too. Two week ago I was basically forced to an "escape room" team building exercise with my co-workers. And even though I was teamed up with people I really liked, I still hated it. I feel like it's still work.

Yes. Social events that are mandatory are just work. If people don't enjoy them, they should not be obligated to participate, and the people who complain about it are being PITAs. Making someone buy a gift, cook food, or spend their non-working hours hanging out with their co-workers is not cool.

I also hate hate hate that stuff, so I agree with the two who bristle. But the rest of my office who keep planning the events seem to like them.

We have about 20 people in our contracts department. Every year there are 2 people who refuse to participate in Halloween potluck lunches, secret Santa gift exchanges, summer barbeque and the occasional happy hour. Personally, I am okay with people not participating especially if they do not want to be there, why bring the moral down you know? But there's a few in this department who take it personal that these 2 individuals do not participate. The spend weeks yearly complaining. I don't care one way or the other if we stopped having these gatherings. These 2 people stick to theirs guns about team building exercises being so outdated and being forced to hang out with co-workers is a thing of the past. Are they correct?