Forced "fun" in the workplace

Cup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955184#Comment_119955184

Ha, no. I’m not working for Mr. Musk.

BrianD3

Workplaces are peer pressure central. From working unpaid overtime every day in order to impress/conform to social BS like lotto syndicates and collections because someone got engaged. Draws anytime there is a World Cup - fiver into the pot and you get Costa Rica while some arsehole who earns more than you gets Brazil.

In many ways, work is like an extension of secondary school. Control, bullying, peer pressure, popularity contests, peacocking. Dossers and spoofers get plaudits for how high profile they are - like in school where the teacher who covers half the LC curriculum because they are training a sports team or organising a musical has everyone licking their arse, Meanwhile all their class are having to pay for grinds to pass the LC.

almostover

I work in a very large MNC and can empathise with the theme in this thread. There is free choice with a lot of the team building events though, even if it doesn't seem like it. Our company has cut them all out now, Xmas party included as inflation has put pressure on company budgets. Just shows that when the rubber hits the road, large corporations put little value in these sort of events.

I tend to only participate if I really want to. Beer and pizza with close colleagues who I work daily with, I'm there if I've nothing else on. I do the team building if it's an activity I like, if not I make an excuse. Went on a mountain hike this summer with a large team, it's something I wanted to do. Avoided a boat trip team building event, I had zero interest. Same with the work sports day, I'm very sporty but had zero interest. Had a GAA match the following day and used risk of injury as my excuse. Nobody gave a toss anyway. I take it or leave it when it comes to these things.

I purposely avoid the political events at work, Women in STEM, Day of the Woman, People of Colour Day, Women's Network, LGBT Pride etc. Each of the above has committees in our workplace and some even have specific job roles that are advertised. Can't understand that. I'm pro-LGBT rights, pro-choice, pro-immigration and in general very Liberal leaning when it comes to politics. But what these things are doing in a workplace is kind of hard for me to understand. So I chose to participate in none of them. Given my employer heavily discourages Union membership I find it weird that it promotes these other political movements. I'm sure if I tried to setup a workplace Fianna Fail cumman or a SF supporters group I'd be swifly in front of HR. I've steered well clear of workplace politics and will continue to due so. The new thing is 'Speed Networking'. Dial into a Teams call where you're setup with a random person and you talk company stuff. Nah! Not having that

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119953683#Comment_119953683

Oh I would actually love that..used to play switch every day in an old job and it was so much fun. I really would love that.

Another place I worked in did things like pizza days and they had massage chairs in the lunch room that funnily enough noone ever used and it was for that reason.. because it was forced fun. The thing that made me uncomfortable was the weird boss use to have these 'get to know you' meetings every month and they'd order cakes and **** and he would sit there picking up little bits of the scone or whatever it was with his finger eyeballing you.

I remember once walking down the corridor and he was in front of us and he randomly stopped and turned around awkwardly and said 'hello' but it was just weird and so misplaced.

I also remember we had these monthly group meetings and at one of them he just sat, not facing the speaker but turned and he was staring at a woman who he worked closely with. Like he was proper staring at her. She just kept looking at the speaker away from him. My friend and I were looking at each other saying is this actually happining,? It was weird. Looking back now he was a **** creep.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955129#Comment_119955129

This kind of culture actively discriminates against many people - people with disabilities, people with caring responsibilities for children or parents, older people. Sounds like the kind of job where you need to be young and single or young and with a partner who covers most of the heavy lifting at home.

I remember from my MNC days that someone suggested I wasn't a team player because not enough of my team were attending a 'morale event'. We had an interesting discussion as to what constitutes morale. There was also a later discussion were it was suggested that the people who went to bed after dinner at said 'morale event' and didn't stay up on the residents bar singing rugby club songs weren't good team players. It was noticeable to see how many of those with young kids were absolutely delighted with the idea of getting an early night of uninterrupted sleep. That did more for their morale than any pub sh1tetalk.

Dial Hard

I really do wonder about a lot of Boardsies sometimes.

Wanderer78

amazon, again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbABBNRq8sA

jackboy

Best of all is the fake anonymous engagement feedback. Employees say they want better pay, recognition and chance of progression in the workplace. This never happens, instead we get all that has been mentioned on this thread. Funny how some workplaces pretend they don’t know why turnover of staff is so high.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955432#Comment_119955432

...oh they know, they just dont give a bollcoks!

Cup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955352#Comment_119955352

I actually don't see how this actively discriminates against many people. People who have disabilities or caring responsibilities for parents or older people do not have to attend the on site activities if this wouldn't work for them. That is definitely a valid reason not to attend. People with children can attend if they have somebody to look after their children. If not, then they don't attend, and that's absolutely understood. Two of my colleagues are pregnant at the moment, and they are traveling absolutely nowhere, unless they want to, and if it is safe for them to do so, and that takes into consideration whether they would actually feel comfortable travelling.

For the rest of it, it actually is quite useful for people with personal responsibilities. They can work from home, they can pick up their children in the middle of the day if required, they can attend appointments with people in their care. It is very flexible in that regard.

On a general level though, my job does require travel for project work. If I wasn't in a position to do that, then I wouldn't do it. If long term circumstances changed, then I would talk about it and see what could be changed in my role, and/or look for another job.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955486#Comment_119955486

Walking meetings exclude people who can't walk. Stand-ups exclude people who can't stand. Skiing excludes people who aren't physically fit and able.

After hours commitments exclude people who have other commitments after hours.

bad2thebone

The only fun in the work place would be if you actually love your job and didn't sell your soul to the system.

Say you've a lady working in an arts and craft shop, she absolutely loves anything creative.

Or a lad working in a book shop and he loves literacy and reading in general, or someone working in a fishing tackle shop or surf shop and they love their pastime too.

So their team activity would probably match their lust for life and they'd go off shark fishing, to a book fair or from Kerry to surf in Sligo or Clare

They love talking about it, helping people and being generally useful.

Most people who have these kind of jobs either have a house left to them, old money or financially independent or working class and have little wants.

The system is really against the middle classes, I jumped ship after I got huge inheritance bought a house and set myself up for a quiet life.

I'm also a humble bragger, and blackguardism is my character defect ....

magic17

Forced fun at work is a phenomenon I will never understand. It's a job, we get paid to do said job. Want people's morale to improve? Pay them more. Give them more benefits. Time off. I don't want to attend your extra curricular activities outside work hours unless I am being paid to do so. If I get on with colleagues we'll socialise in our own time because we want to.

Cup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955498#Comment_119955498

Are you joking?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955532#Comment_119955532

Yeah I left the bullsh1t of marketing 18 months ago for a soft sales job. Cannot emphasise how much better it is. And the money is the same with the commission. Sometimes more!

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955582#Comment_119955582

Sadly he's probably not.

Even though he knows full well that people who cannot walk can wheel, stand ups are about a getting-straight-to-thepoint attitude not posture, and that by definition the hours you are requiring for compulsory employer activities are not after-hours.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955643#Comment_119955643

If you're not getting paid for these activities they are "after hours". Plenty if people who can't stand for extended periods aren't wheelchair users - bad backs, old injuries, pregnant, varicose veins, I could go on. Complete and utter bollix. If you can't communicate what you need to communicate, or take in what's being communicated while sitting, then you shouldn't he in a job that requires staff meetings..

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955582#Comment_119955582

Which particular aspect of exclusion did you find funny?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955643#Comment_119955643

Let's have a men's meeting and sure you know full well that women can attend, no problem there, right?

Or a white people meeting, and sure you know full well that black people and other races can attend, no problem there, right?

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955582#Comment_119955582

Don't bother. That poster is serially argumentative and just gets more and more entrenched the longer he's engaged with. Has been the death of many a light-hearted thread.

Cup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955677#Comment_119955677

Ok, firstly I'll apologise. We call our morning meetings "stand ups". It was the same in my last job, although we just sat in a meeting room. That's my bad, as I was just used to the terminology, which I thought was more commonly understood. We don't stand for them, to be clear, unless we particularly wanted to.

Walking meetings exclude people who can't walk.

This is basically a meeting to encourage people to get outside for their own mental health, as many, especially those new to remote working, end up spending the whole day glued to their screen. It is not mandatory and, if you cannot walk, well you do whatever you do to go outside. If you join the meeting.

Skiing excludes people who aren't physically fit and able.

Yes, it does. So does bowling. If you can't ski, you don't ski. This was in my previous job btw, but some people went for the free drinks, some people went for the trip away. Some people didn't go.

After hours commitments exclude people who have other commitments after hours.

If you have a commitment after hours, you don't join. If you join, you get paid for the time.

I mean, aside from the confusion about stand ups, this is basic common sense. I really do not understand the level of outrage over any of this. I mentioned already the very real benefits of a lot of our practices, but, sometimes people just want to grumble I guess.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119953587#Comment_119953587

On the flip side I'm asked not to participate. I'm fairly quiet but a rugby ball in my hand...I did warn them.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119954507#Comment_119954507

Generally no.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955582#Comment_119955582

I bet you're left handed. I know your type.

Cup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955734#Comment_119955734

Only in the matters of cutlery. ;)

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955751#Comment_119955751

Switching knife hands?

waxmelts2000

Our company introduced Fun Fridays , consisted of treats and quiz maybe........, sports days again if you did not participate it was definitely frowned upon

pgj2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjp_a7LoHuI

Anyone ever do something like this at the work sportsday?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956258#Comment_119956258

Happy FriYay!!!!

🙄

That place I lasted six weeks in had a beach day - had to go off and buy beach accessories the night before. And the HR one took a photo of us. Then the activities had to be followed to the letter. These were literally children's games. It was actually kinda... sinister.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956303#Comment_119956303

No fun Fugue. I couldn't think of anything more fun than a beach day.

Maybe welcome to the thunderdrome with senior managers would be a close second.

seamusk84

Xmas jumper day….I got an email on Friday stating the day my team have to wear an Xmas jumper to work. WTF.

I’m the team manager and the email was the first I heard of it.

Now I feel I have to conform as the younger folk on the team will feel like tools coming in with a Xmas jumper on if I’m not wearing one.

Lord save me…..

Mister Vain

I'm so glad I'm self employed now. Although I miss the €25 voucher at Christmas. My last employer was very generous.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956407#Comment_119956407

Bollox to be honest. Wear a leinster hoody like sandy would.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956407#Comment_119956407

What if you don't possess such a ridiculous and hideous item of clothing?

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956619#Comment_119956619

I own a Munster top. Does that count?

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956619#Comment_119956619

Draw a Christmas tree on your torso with whiteboard markers and turn up topless. Bonus festive participation points for hanging a baby Jesus figurine from a nipple ring.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956628#Comment_119956628

I don't know what a Munster top looks like. I'm sure it would be preferable to a stupid, childish, Christmas themed wooly jumper.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956640#Comment_119956640

Are you my twin?

I actually have a Christmas jumper - I like that particular brand of wackiness. I don't have any sports jersey though, and doubtfully ever will.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956643#Comment_119956643

You'd be wrong.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956647#Comment_119956647

We could be joined at the other nipple ring.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956661#Comment_119956661

Mine was ripped out. Surprisingly the amount of blood

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956675#Comment_119956675

I think I was at that Christmas party. Like Carrie with tinsel.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956704#Comment_119956704

Not a fun day.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956661#Comment_119956661

That would be an excellent team building exercise

scudzilla

I Worked in Google for 12yrs as a Vendor, had a pretty good position, the amount of 'forced fun' was sickening, loads of Googley C**nts trying to out Googley each other....sickening.

Left there 4 1/2 yrs ago, utterly toxic atmosphere, higher management were superb as they knew their roles/places, but the amount of lower end back stabbing for the smallest promotion, nah, not for me

bad2thebone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955642#Comment_119955642

Well done, and you're probably more content and happy with your choice. I hope it goes well for you. Marketing can be tough going, especially when your creativity and hard work isn't appreciated and has to fall in line with the status quo.

Strumms

Did anyone ever get coerced into attending those ‘great place to work’ shindigs… in the Burlington… ? seemed like a good idea…. Free dinner and gargle..

But when you factored in though you had two hours watching managers go up and be ‘genuinely’ delighted upon collecting the award.. employees in tow with a demeanour …. “ hurry the fûck up, we’re up here any longer the hangover will start kicking in “

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119955711#Comment_119955711

Thanks, but there's nothing I didn't already know there. I know how stand-ups work, and I know how the terminology excludes those who have difficulty standing for periods. Yet again, it is the tech bros designing for tech bros, young, fit, healthy, mostly men. If you need a morning meeting that is brief (which is the key message behind 'stand up'), then schedule a brief meeting. Don't scare people off with ablest terminology.

And yes, I understand how activities like bowling and skiing and Zipit and lots of other things exclude people. They're typically chosen to suit the organisers, with little thought about now many people are excluded by design.

The after-hours commitment is even worse than I feared. So now people with caring responsibilities end up getting paid less then their peers. Wait till the directors see the impact of this in their gender pay gap reporting starting next month, and we'll see how long it takes for them to cop on.

I swear that most 'away days/nights' are more about spending a particular HR budget than actually providing something that staff want or will enjoy. I was watching the Quinn documentary last night with Dessie Cahill doing MC for the company party, probably costing somewhere between €5k and €10k. I recall Ray Darcy doing DJ for some corporate gig I was at around that time, cringefest. But hey, they got to spend the big money, so the peasants should be delighted with that.

whisky_galore

Slightly related, this 'secret Santa' rubbish.

It's a workplace, not a kindergarten.