My division does organized events -- holiday party, summer picnic -- and my office gets together once a month for an informal lunch at the cafeteria. We used to do happy hours, but the office location has changed and there aren't really any nearby options.

Outside of work hours, I go to dinner maybe 4 or 5 times a year with people who are in my division but not in my actual office.

I really like all my colleagues and enjoy spending time with them. It's the sort of place where no one has to spend a holiday alone; people leap to offer meals and rides and other help to those who need it. But we all have long commutes in very different directions, and a lot of us have small kids, so it's just not feasible to get together on a regular basis.

We have happy hour once every other month or so. Usually a party at someone's house 2-3 times a year. We do birthday lunches and I have coffee with one coworker 3ish times a week. A former coworker from the group has remained a close friend and we gtg once a month or so, she threw my baby shower, our kids go to each other's birthday parties, etc.

Rarely, we sometimes get together at lunch. Everyone lives further out (in order to afford the housing) and in all different directions; no one has the time or the energy to socialize. (GS levels 11-14)

There is also the culture of cutbacks, so morale is very low...the push to share offices and push as many people as possible into the space has (plus the commutes) have pushed many of my coworkers to telecommute as much as they can.

I love the people I work with and we socialize occasionally but it's tough because we live so far apart from one another. By way of example, I live in VA inside the beltway but my closest friends from work live in Columbia, Point of Rocks, Annapolis, Silver Spring, Owings Mills, and Bowie.

Hate them and would likely not attend their funerals

We have an events committee. Bowling nights, summer field day picnics, ping pong tournaments, karaoke nights, off premise holiday party, numerous celebratory events/get togethers i.e, if someone is retiring or leaving the agency.

During a typical week, most everyone is out the door and heading home at 5:30, but there is an active effort to get people together throughout the year.

I have to say - I'm really enjoy working in my office and agency. It's a very warm and friendly environment. They will always be a few bad apples and weird birds but the vast majority of people I've interacted with are just flat out nice. I feel being nice and eing able to get along and work together is almost a requirement and it's gauged during the interview process.

Anonymous wrote:Echoing what a lot of PPs have said. I hardly ever socialize with my coworkers. When I was in private practice, we'd frequently eat lunch together, and there were many happy hours. (And I did have kids then, too, so it's not like I was a young child-free thing!) And I really LIKED my coworkers; I still email and call and hang out with my former private practice friends, some of whom are also feds now.

In the federal sector, while I like my coworkers, I like them at WORK. I don't want them to be my "outside" friends. (Maybe I'm just too big of an introvert who has decided that I have enough friends!)

+1

I don't, I don't like them that much.

Depends. When I was single, I went out for happy hours probably at least once a week with the other single/no-kids people. Now, I don't so much (married with a young child), but some of my co-workers and I have lunch together from time to time, or those with kids will invite each other to birthday parties. We're a pretty friendly bunch, really. Our section meetings are actually enjoyable!

Echoing what a lot of PPs have said. I hardly ever socialize with my coworkers. When I was in private practice, we'd frequently eat lunch together, and there were many happy hours. (And I did have kids then, too, so it's not like I was a young child-free thing!) And I really LIKED my coworkers; I still email and call and hang out with my former private practice friends, some of whom are also feds now.

In the federal sector, while I like my coworkers, I like them at WORK. I don't want them to be my "outside" friends. (Maybe I'm just too big of an introvert who has decided that I have enough friends!)

Anonymous wrote:One thing that works against Feds socializing is that in this region they are not the highest paid (esp compared to law/lobbying/contractors/consultants). And lower pay translates into cheaper housing, and thus most likely long commutes for decent housing options.

Thus, most Fed offices have people commuting an hour plus, so socializing after work is too big a sacrifice since it means getting home super late, and co-workers are far flung so hard to meetup off hours.

+1

Pre-kids (when middle management level at my firm), every weekend.

Post-kids upper levels in my firm, once a month max.

Generally, my coworkers in my firm have made up a majority of my friend base for the last 14 years. When you put in that many hours together, it is hard to have a life outside of work