I think having to sit & break bread with ur bosses/coworkers should be optional. Every few months, there's a forced birthday lunch for ppl in the office & i prefer to use that free hour my way. Not to mention the mandatory holiday lunch. One year it was a dinner. AFTER work. I spend enough time with these ppl. No thank u!
@BlueTsunami
Everyone feeling obligated to attend lest they be considered "not fitting in".
To me that seems less like bringing people together in order to create a teamwork atmosphere and more like threatening those who refuse to conform.
@Priestess It's not expressed, but implied attendance. Still, i resent having to give more of my precious time to anyone or anything i don't wish to. I have no idea if others feel this way, but i definitely do.
@BlueTsunami @Priestess I would simply not show up. Possibly, I would apologize to the guest of honor before hand. If asked, I would say that I have other plans. If further interrogated, I would say it's personal.
@00pi @Priestess I wish i could. If it was a large group, that would be doable. It's 7 other ppl so my absence would be construed as a slight. There's no escape hatch lol.
@00pi @Priestess Thx Matt! Unfortunately it's a necessary evil of office culture.
@BlueTsunami @Priestess There's no escape plan other than causing a slight. Slights can be smoothed over. For me, that is preferable to my employer feeling entitled to my free time. You, of course, are the best judge of your situation and limits.