Are you going to your work Christmas party?

LirW

LirW wrote: »

Well I don't know if going for a 3day p1ss-up is a valuable skill.

But then again I'm not interested in spending my freetime with my boss and colleagues only if I'm on good terms with them.

Not every work party is like that. It does depend on the organisation but I would be very interested in seeing how my staff behave in a non work environment especially if I'm deciding on promotions.

tomwaterford

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Not every work party is like that. It does depend on the organisation but I would be very interested in seeing how my staff behave in a non work environment especially if I'm deciding on promotions.

As an organisation you can see logic behind it

But on a personal level your better off to keep work and social life separate. ... as less close friends etc you have easier you'll find it to move on to different jobs etc

Galwayguy35

Deleted User wrote: »

Not every work party is like that. It does depend on the organisation but I would be very interested in seeing how my staff behave in a non work environment especially if I'm deciding on promotions.

Sure ya wouldn't hold it against them if they let their hair down and got a bit drunk at the party.

LirW

Deleted User wrote: »

Not every work party is like that. It does depend on the organisation but I would be very interested in seeing how my staff behave in a non work environment especially if I'm deciding on promotions.

Exactly that kind of mindset would turn me off parties like that. I prefer to keep work work.

tomwaterford

tomwaterford wrote: »

As an organisation you can see logic behind it

But on a personal level your better off to keep work and social life separate. ... as less close friends etc you have easier you'll find it to move on to different jobs etc

Maybe I just like getting on with people but I couldn't do the above. I have made some of my best friends at work some have left and we still meet up others still work with me and I'd consider as friends first and collegues second.

Galwayguy35

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Sure ya wouldn't hold it against them if they let their hair down and got a bit drunk at the party.

Of course not

tomwaterford

Kathleen Melted Vendor wrote: »

Maybe I just like getting on with people but I couldn't do the above. I have made some of my best friends at work some have left and we still meet up others still work with me and I'd consider as friends first and collegues second.

I could never do this

Any job I ever left...practically never seen them again...Unless on odd night out etc wed bump into them

But then again....I've worked with anyone what shares same area of interest/hobbies as meself!

Let me clarify what I mean.

Let's say I run a business that is dependent on both discretion and excellent customer service skills. An opening has appeared for a senior role and I'm not sure who should get it. Luckily the Christmas party is around the corner so I should be able to get a few clues.
The person who is rude to the wait staff or who I overhear bad mouthing another colleague will be out of the running for the position.

That's the kind of thing I mean when I say parties can be useful.

Anesthetize

I'm really surprised by a lot of posts here, but I guess it depends on the nature of your workplace. With a small workplace you don't have much choice of who you socialise with.

I work for a large software company and team bonding is quite important. Some people in the company are not just your co-workers but friends as well, so socialising with colleagues is the norm.

Erik Shin

I manage a business, about 10 or so people employed...I encourage little get togethers for drinks now and again, it lets people relax, interact outside of the work place in a non work related environment, good, drinks and all's well.
Funnily enough, I don't normally go to out Xmas do.... only because I fckin hate Xmas and everything about it...

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Icepick

Deleted User wrote: »

Let me clarify what I mean.

Let's say I run a business that is dependent on both discretion and excellent customer service skills. An opening has appeared for a senior role and I'm not sure who should get it. Luckily the Christmas party is around the corner so I should be able to get a few clues.
The person who is rude to the wait staff or who I overhear bad mouthing another colleague will be out of the running for the position.

That's the kind of thing I mean when I say parties can be useful.

You are not a very good manager if you don't know who should get a promotion or cannot initiate a proper hiring process.

Erik Shin

Patww79 wrote: »

Just give them a day off instead of forced fun with people you're forced to be around all day every day.

It's not forced fun, they enjoy it...I make my excuses after a while and let them to it...
Makes a marked difference i find afterwards, esp if there has been any frustration between 2 parties....I highly recommend it.., not just a drinks night, but a meal together, maybe bowling....a workforce that bonds well outside of the work environment will do very well in the 9-5 in my experience

Icepick

Icepick wrote: »

You are a terrible manager if you don't know who should get a promotion or cannot initiate a proper hiring process.

First of all the scenario was hypothetical. It was to illustrate my point. If I were a manager how my staff treat each other and those they come in contact with would matter a great deal to me.

Erik Shin

Icepick wrote: »

You are not a very good manager if you don't know who should get a promotion or cannot initiate a proper hiring process.

No promotion for you!

Pac1Man

Erik Shin wrote: »

I manage a business, about 10 or so people employed...I encourage little get togethers for drinks now and again, it lets people relax, interact outside of the work place in a non work related environment, good, drinks and all's well.
Funnily enough, I don't normally go to out Xmas do.... only because I fckin hate Xmas and everything about it...

That's the thing though, it's never a non work related environment. Your boss is still your boss. You can't really enter the friendly slagging zone.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Erik Shin

Pac1Man wrote: »

That's the thing though, it's never a non work related environment. Your boss is still your boss. You can't really enter the friendly slagging zone.

Completely incorrect...and I'm speaking as a boss

For any of you getting the auld knickers in a twist about my "managerial skills" I am not a manager and I don't have hiring or firing powers. So all can rest easy in their beds tonight

Erik Shin

Patww79 wrote: »

Ewww 'activities'. I blame the yank companies for bringing that mindset here with them. I'll leave it there so, as we're on completely different planes regarding it.

Indeed, you're saying that people who work together cannot function well outside of the 9-5, im telling to you they can, we'll not reach agreement

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

I love Sean nos

Erik Shin wrote: »

Completely incorrect...and I'm speaking as a boss

A lot of companies though keep the company code of conduct in place.

Erik Shin

Patww79 wrote: »

Do you force (or gently insist) that they attend though? Like, if I worked somewhere and I was being pushed to one of these things then I could suck it up and go for pints, but I would not attend bowling. What do you do if someone has the same opinion?

I threw in bowling so as not to make everyone think everyone in Kerry spends their entire time in the pub.
It's totally democratic...If someone says they want the pub..fine by me... dinner...fine by me...
We kind of go with the majority ....as it happens, no-one has said bowling so far

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Erik Shin

Patww79 wrote: »

But do they have to attend the nights out at all or can an individual pass it up without consequences?

Of course they can pass it up... Christ, I've passed it up on occasions...there is nothing mandatory about it...in fact it would be rare for every single member of staff to be present as home life, sport etc can come first, these can be very spur of the moment things at times...call goes out at 3.30pm...will we do it tonight?...and it just flows naturally from there

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Spanish Eyes

It really is forced fun. Anyone who says otherwise is a dick/female version of same.

I avoided the "whole night gig" like the plague. But I did stick my head in the door for an hour or so, so they knew I was there. And it was nice to have a bit of craic early on too don't get me wrong.

Totally cynical I know that. But after a few hours no one gives a flying fk anyway.

But I don't have to do it anymore now. Thanks be to god.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

It really is forced fun. Anyone who says otherwise is a dick/female version of same.

I avoided the "whole night gig" like the plague. But I did stick my head in the door for an hour or so, so they knew I was there. And it was nice to have a bit of craic early on too don't get me wrong.

Totally cynical I know that. But after a few hours no one gives a flying fk anyway.

But I don't have to do it anymore now. Thanks be to god.

Anyone who doesn't believe the Christmas party to be forced fun is a díck? That's a bit of a stretch surely.

LirW

It makes a huge difference though if you're in a small company where you're like 10 people or a multinational where your department alone can be 40 or 50 people. The larger the worse in my opinion and throw in a Senior who's a bit of a nutter and takes notes of every employee... nah, not for me.

The last I've been to was a sitdown meal and while the food was good the evening ended in one of the lads very drunk and constantly asking the waiters where our polish guy was (throw in some "funny" race stereotypes) and another one talking about the big pharma conspiracy.

Erik Shin

Patww79 wrote: »

That's good going then. As you can imagine, there's a lot of bosses want to flex and insist on attendance at these things.

Not a bit with me... there's no point I find....I'm a bastard, a complete bastard...but people like me...I'm good to my staff, I would never berate or talk down to them, I respect them and I appreciate the work they put in.... A night out every so often lets us just unwind, all work talk is banished after 30 mins...and then it's just good food, wine and company...I accept it's not the same everywhere, it takes a lot of things to gel for a work relationship to function, and nights out help in my experience