At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

[rbh]

Just throwing this out to see what sticks.

It does not seem that long ago when your job was a bit of a social group, so at the end of the day you would shoot the breeze or go for a drink ETC before you headed home.
Now people seem to walk or run out the door at quiting time, there is very little to no social contact at work.

Is this because the average business has streamlined their work force to the point that every employee is just plain worn out at the end of the day?

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I think its a FaceTube effort to get "socialized" ..

Why live in the normal world when you can jump on the net and be who you want to be ?

Remember the dial up phone ? .. my kids never seen it before I watched War Games on Netflix.

Modem .. what the hell is that ?? baud ?? Oh the days of yesterday...

 

[southkogs]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I have a rather unique job, with a unique company - but my "home" life and "work" life mush together so much that I see people I work with outside of the office quite a bit.

I would find it kinda' odd to not see the people I work with "off hours."

 

[rockyrude]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I think at the time you remember, you were at a job for life basically. Now with the turn over rates, there really isn't the time to make those same connections.

 

[matt167]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

Same here. Some of my direct coworkers are also my friends outside of work.

 

[eavega]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I believe that socialization is part of the culture and environment at a given employer. In 2002 I worked for IBM out in Tucson, AZ, and our group was as you describe; we used to get together on the weekends or after work for a cookout, or a camp-out, or just go grab a beer and relax. Families would sometimes come along, sometimes not. We were a great group of friends and a highly productive team. Even though I left IBM in 2006 and now live in Georgia, I still frequently converse with these people, and in fact am planning a vacation with a couple of them this summer.
In contrast, I just left a company where people did not even greet each other in the mornings. It was walk in, heads down working, until lunch. Dart out of the office for lunch, come back, more work, shut down and go home. Even when we did have a department luncheon or some cause to all get together, it was seen as more of an obligation than anything else and a lot of people did not participate. This was a miserable place to work.
Where I am at now, we all talk to each other. We know each other's names. We will get together to go to lunch or go for a drink after work. My employer encourages this as much as possible, and the employees have responded. We all have the need to make personal connections with the folks we spend most of our day with. Its just that in this current cultural environment I believe there are people that feel that any kind of socialization like that is "unproductive" and may reflect badly on them. Add to that most folks feel that if they are not doing 10+ hours a day of work they may be in jeopardy of losing their jobs to someone who is. They just don't realize how much can get done and how much knowledge is spread around during simple conversations, or a social situation when talk will inevitably turn to work.

Rgds

 

[Slide]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I'm 24 and a professional engineer. My generation in particular is very mobile with work. It's not the old days where you would go and work for one company your whole life - people move around to new jobs constantly. I chose to move to a new company in January after just one year at my old company, and it's pretty likely I'll be moving again early in 2014. We're more networked, and sites like LinkedIn make it easy for new opportunities to present themselves.

I've read that the average young professional will work at 10 different companies throughout his/her career.

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I'm in law enforcement, my best friends are my partners.. we BBQ and hang out all year. But I've worked jobs where no one wanted to do anything with each other out of work as well

 

[a2dubnut]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I used to work for a company that hosted get togethers after work for the staff. With the downturn in 2008 - that promptly stopped.
But also - now that I've had a child, it's the balancing act of getting him to and from his daycare, and work for my wife and I...
She drops off in the morning - I pick up on the way home - and there's some balance there - but not the freedom to go and play like we once had available to us.
my .02

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

The days of one spouse working a 40 hour week and supporting the entire family are coming to an end very quickly.

Honestly Bubba, I think they're long since gone...
Unless one spouse is netting 6 figures a year, and is comfortable living within their means. Any family who wants to live in the middle class needs two contributors.

As far as friendly work place environments, most of the places I've worked at were pretty social. You shot the breeze with your co-workers during the day. Maybe went out with them to lunch some times. Then there was occasionally after hours activities.

In my experience, one of the most miserable places I worked at, people were closer than ever.
Why... Cuz misery loves company...
Sometimes just the hijinks, and horseplay between fellow employee's made a crappy day allot better.

 

[nwcove]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

Honestly Bubba, I think they're long since gone...
Unless one spouse is netting 6 figures a year, and is comfortable living within their means. Any family who wants to live in the middle class needs two contributors.

As far as friendly work place environments, most of the places I've worked at were pretty social. You shot the breeze with your co-workers during the day. Maybe went out with them to lunch some times. Then there was occasionally after hours activities.

In my experience, one of the most miserable places I worked at, people were closer than ever.
Why... Cuz misery loves company...
Sometimes just the hijinks, and horseplay between fellow employee's made a crappy day allot better.

ive worked alone for the last 12 years ( gov job), and only interact with other staff through email, text, the occasional phone call, and a once a month tool box meeting. after our once a month meeting, all i hear is " gee...i wish i were you....you dont know how lucky you are"....yada yada. i only wish i worked around people, whether they interacted or not!! ....or do i have it good?

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

i am a maintnance tech on a 220 unit property i talk to my staff all the x only 4 of us lol !!! Its nice i live on property no commute ,wife works 7 miles away shift manager store manager soon things may change however before i was a carpenter and went werever work was ..I think also both have to work to make it i sure wasnt doing well till i met my wife n her the same !! the only thing i hate is when tenents bug me While im by the shop working on my boat for a light bulb lol !!!REALLLY

 

[dwco5051]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I'm in law enforcement, my best friends are my partners.. we BBQ and hang out all year. But I've worked jobs where no one wanted to do anything with each other out of work as well

Not uncommon in the LE profession. You feel more comfortable being around those that have the same mind set as yours. Constant situational awareness, knowing they are not going to ask favors pertaining to your job, the ability to share war stories and the humor that is not always PC are values similar to your own.

Outside of our children and grandchildren and the Amish family that lives across the lane I have no others that I share time with at my home other than the partners I worked with before I retired.

 

[NYBo]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I'm 24 and a professional engineer. My generation in particular is very mobile with work. It's not the old days where you would go and work for one company your whole life - people move around to new jobs constantly. I chose to move to a new company in January after just one year at my old company, and it's pretty likely I'll be moving again early in 2014. We're more networked, and sites like LinkedIn make it easy for new opportunities to present themselves.

I've read that the average young professional will work at 10 different companies throughout his/her career.

^This.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I know what your saying. It use to be lots of after hours communication and events at one time. Now i am seeing lots of people just ignoring anyone who they work with out side of work.. But buddy you still have me and my Sailer Jerrie's.

 

[rbh]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I know what your saying. It use to be lots of after hours communication and events at one time. Now i am seeing lots of people just ignoring anyone who they work with out side of work.. But buddy you still have me and my Sailer Jerrie's.

Your a good man Kerry!!!!

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

klink of the glasses

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

I think we have become a 24/7/365 stressed out society. This type society seems to have made time much more valuable. Who has the time for reality friends? I agree with the other post who talks about Facebook. I think people have chosen computer friends over reality friends. Much more easy to get away from computer friends than a friend who comes over to your home to visit.
Then there is the fact that your wife or girlfriend have to work so you don't have much time for real friends.
Familiarity breeds contempt as the old say goes. Then you have to work with the person. I used to hang out with friends. Now I just see them out in public sometime. Small talk and then we go our separate ways. I don't think sitcoms like King of Queens etc really reflect the reality of what is going on in many peoples world these days. I find it odd that at their age, they seek out real friends lol. 4 guys hanging out together while the wife seems fine with it. Ya right!
Don't really know if I have the answers. Just throwing some ideas out there

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

Depends on the day for me. Technically finish work at 5 p.m. but almost never do. That and the "road time" overseas and domestically minimises the social aspect. We do however get together on occasion with company organised and employee organised events.

 

[littlerayray]

Re: At the end of the day, talk, walk or run!

i commute over an hour and 20 minutes one way to work im an ironworker and after work we sometimes go out for a drink.
every year one foreman has a pigroast.
and i invite a few of my coworkers out on the boat.
for the most part we all get along because of our work ethic, and those that we dont like because their lazy or just plain no good,
we do what we can to get rid of them.