Office happy hours, client dinners and other after-hours work gatherings lose their luster as more people feel the pull of home
Patience for after-hours work socializing is wearing thin.
After an initial burst of postpandemic happy hours, rubber chicken dinners and mandatory office merriment, many employees are adopting a stricter 5:01-and-I’m-done attitude to their work schedules. More U.S. workers say they’re trying to draw thicker lines between work and the rest of life, and that often means clocking out and eschewing invites to socialize with co-workers. Corporate event planners say they’re already facing pushback for fall activities and any work-related functions that take place on weekends.
Hang with people I barely know on a personal level after work? Why would I do that? I’ve got another full-time job waiting for me: Life/parent. I barely have time for my own family, let alone a work ‘family’.
… In a (generally) mildly toxic environment where I feel judged and under appreciated?
Count me out.
Workplaces used to be a lot more casual.
It can be beneficial to keep a good relationship with your coworkers. I’ve had more than a few opportunities come my way because I have a network of friends that I made at work.
“Work family?” You mean like the Manson Family?