Too Much Socializing in the Workplace Can

We are all ane big work family! We should all hang out equally a team! These statements drive me crazy. This fake corporate mindset is prevalent in many companies today. The idea that we should be spending fourth dimension with and developing personal relationships with our coworkers can be harmful. I will lay out the example on how too much socializing in the workplace tin can bear on you negatively.

Why is it that too much socializing in the workplace tin hurt y’all?
There are many
drawbacks from both a professional and personal standpoint if we socialize too much with coworkers. We risk up professional person movement by letting our guard down and take away from our personal lives by wasting time with people nosotros work with.

It sounds counter intuitive to say that socializing in the workplace can hurt our careers in the long run. Anytime you present aspects of your personal life you allow the vultures and backstabbing coworkers to proceeds ammunition that tin can afterwards be used confronting you.

It is of import to distinguish between company sanctioned events with coworkers (Christmas parties, team building, etc..) and just general fraternizing in the workplace (casual conversations, random happy hours). Although in that location are dissimilar consequences for both, I personally think each should be limited. Beneath is how too much socializing in the workplace can hurt you.

General Socializing in the Workplace

I understand, the days in the office tin can be miserable. It is tempting to joke around with your work “friends” or talk for hours about Game of Thrones. Personally, I have seen too many situations where coincidental conversation in the office every bit flake someone in the rear.

Today more than than ever we demand to limit what we say in the office. I take been guilty of this, if the environment now were like this years ago, I probably would take lost my task a while dorsum. Treating coworkers similar friends in general is a bad idea. The below are the reasons why I believe we demand to go on them at arm’due south length.

Coworkers are not Friends

Please repeat later on me…your coworkers are non your friends. If you become nothing else out of this post, I hope you recollect this. No affair how much you joke with them, no thing how many hours a day you spend with them most will disappear after you lot are done working at the company. At that place perhaps are a handful y’all see from time to time, but any shut relationship y’all idea yous had will have concluded. If yous are socializing with coworkers to make friends, you are wasting your time.

I have worked in the corporate environs for almost twenty years. I have may be i or 2 people that I would still consider a friend from the thousands I have met. Even those I may speak to once a month. One time you leave a visitor, you are forgotten. If y’all are laid off or worse fired, meet how many happy hours you are invited to. These are fake friends out of convenience. Well-nigh likely these are not people you would voluntarily hang out with unless yous are forced into the state of affairs anyway.

Y’all risk Making Enemies

Not simply are coworkers not friends, but they tin can turn into adversaries. Say the incorrect thing or non hold with left wing public opinion and you could find yourself being a target. As well much socializing in the workplace can allow a personal unpopular opinion to be revealed. This in turn can make people come up afterward yous professionally.

Why risk making yourself a target in this heavily PC environment? Especially in drinking situations. Have one as well many cocktails and say the incorrect thing, good luck explaining to your next potential employer why you are looking for a job. It is better to keep your head down and not say as well much. You lot tin can drink and socialize with people you lot trust.

Wasting Time with Junior People

They say you are a combination of your five closest friends. Most likely nearly people in the corporate environment are going to exist your average Joes who take an obsession with football game and tv set. They know nothing about politics or economics except what Facebook teaches them. These people are sheep. Do you desire to be a role of the mindless herd? Excessively socialize with coworkers, y’all will soon have all their characteristics.

How well-nigh finding better friends? Amend yet hang out with loved ones who enrich your life and non some phony pal who will rattle on virtually the Panthers tertiary string quarterback.

Some other option use your free time to outset a side project so you can escape the hell of corporate life. Fourth dimension is more valuable than money; you can waste information technology away with Jim from bookkeeping or use it to try to move forwards in your life. Too much socializing in the workplace tin can take away from living your life more than richly.

It may Hurt Work Performance

Sitting around the office talking about BS tin can distract you lot from your bodily job. Not that climbing the corporate ladder should be anyone’s goal, just if it is yours, so y’all may want to dial dorsum any socializing at work. If y’all go also far, the joking effectually will be noticed. Some may human activity as if you lot do non take your job duties seriously. Your entire group tin can be typecast as slackers and moving around (or up) may be difficult. I know this from personal feel.

Company Sponsored Socializing

There is aught worse than existence forced into socialization by your boss. Usually these events are “recommended” using the term loosely. It is bad plenty that you must spend eight-nine hours a mean solar day with these people, at present you lot are compelled to go to events on your off time. Fifty-fifty something as simple as wasting my lunch pause irks me to no end. Below is why planned socializing in the workplace will drain yous mentally.

You Terminate Up Talking Near Work

Let u.s. face it, when you are beingness forced to hang out with your boss and coworkers you will be speaking about piece of work. That is not time off it is merely a sneaky fashion for them to increase your workday. Lunch is for decompressing and inquiry, not hanging out with colleagues and discussing spreadsheets.

Information technology is meliorate to spend one’s time after work thinking about anything just your chore. This is peculiarly true about events in the part, half the time you lot are still just working, only you lot have some stale supermarket cake in front of you. Actually, what else are you going to talk to these drones about anyway?

You lot Must Be on Your Best Behavior

I cannot tell you how many reminders you will get when you either go to a work effect or accept i in the function that involves alcohol. Long drawn out emails about appropriate behavior are the norm. That is not time off for me, I want to be able to say and do what I please without feeling every bit if I am being monitored.

To avoid problems one usually, every bit mentioned, talks primarily most work. Or you discuss useless mind-numbing topics with sheeple who you cannot stand. I do not run across whatsoever benefit from this kind of socializing with people. Even going to a coincidental team lunch takes abroad from my sanity.

Set Boundaries

I think it is important to offset on the correct pes with a company. Saying no frequently and early will help yous fix a needed precedent. I personally avoid going to work lunches or parties, whether it is visitor sponsored or not, because it is my time. Unless in that location is a cash prize to be won at a political party, I am not attending. My time is too precious and brusque to just requite to my employer and coworkers.

Conclusion: How besides much socializing in the Workplace Tin can Hurt You

Whether it is in the office or at some sanctioned (or unsanctioned) offsite location there are few upsides to socializing in the workplace. In too many instances it takes away from the things that are important in life. Time is more valuable than money, spend it on what yous value. You are non the property of the office, when the workday is done split from the people in your job. Exercise your piece of work, be friendly, simply go out the piece of work colleagues behind when the solar day ends. Hang out with people that expand your life, not corporate drones that suck the energy from y’all.