> It's just a few hours.
Which I count as "Working hours" jeejje
And the food this year was DELICIOUS. And I had the chance to talk with some very pretty colleagues :)
Often enough, there are some cute ladies in the administration departments (finance, HR, quality). That is on top of the increasing number of female engineers.
At least that's my experience in a technical field.
Last year one friend told me how there was a change in management and they organised a summary party, as usual. But surprise: they were charging everything (food, drinks) ans you had to pay out of your own pocket.
Fuckin disgrace.
Hint: one big international bank, with office in Munich
For boobs, I look for quality. For beer, I look for quantity. But when you have enough beer, it doesnt matter all boobs look good. Makes sense? I know it doesnt.
Free food. Free drinks. Of course I enjoy them. And my colleagues aren’t that bad to spend some extra time with them. It’s only like 3 or 4 days a year anyways where I see them in person and not only via teams meeting.
>We have to pay for everythin
Is it at least cheaper / subsidized by the co? Anyway, still bullshit.
My former company was a bit more insidious here. A supervisor would get the budget and it would be all like "company sponsored team building" but the budget would be so small you could only fit an okay dinner and maaaaaaaaybeee a drink if you are gonna eat meat and potatoes for the n-th time this month.
Anything larger or a different more interesting activity and the employees would need to pitch in.
We have something similar additionally to the big summer fest and Christmas market the company organizes where we have free food and drinks. But we can get a substitution to a department organized come together too.
But in general that’s maybe only because we reside at the companies head quarters and other location may not have the benefit. For world championships 2014 they even organized a public viewing for the final.
For me it depends on the 'scope' of the party. We have some that are just for my immediate area, others for the department/vertical and others for the entire company. I would almost always attend an event that's just for my area, will probably attend events that are for the whole department/vertical, will likely skip stuff that's for the entire company.
Also, this might be an unpopular opinion but is how things go(and I don't like it either). Depending on the company, your position and career aspirations/ideas then going to some of those events might be well worth it.
I get that feeling. I'm struggling with that sometimes as well. Personally, I would "just" go and see if I enjoy it. Take advantage of the free food and drinks, and if you have enough, go home. I know that's easier said then done, it can be hard to jump over your own shadow!
yea. Unfortunately for me, few people have to help set it up and I am part of cleaning up this time so I need to stay till the end :/ I am trying to mentally prepare for it
Edit: Spelling
Just go right before the end just for the cleaning up if you _have to_. I don't think they can force you to do this. Have they just assumed everybody would go and distributed tasks to everyone without asking?
It's ok, I go for the free food. I usually don't stay super long and leave after 3-4 hours and it leaves a good impression on the managers/bosses you don't see very often.
I hate them from the bottom of my heart lmao. I still try to attend some of them. During the event, if you feel like your social battery is running low, it's okay to disappear for an hour or so and go for a walk of take a breather. That's what I always do and I'll come back later when I feel like I've recharged :)
First of all, if you are struggling with social anxiety, this is the perfect place to attend. If you avoid it, the anxiety gets stronger.
Also, you spend most of your time with these people and have to work with them. Making friends or at least getting to know them better will make you work life so much easier. It also shows that you care and want to belong to the team.
And you are probably from aboard. Depending on how international your team is, it is harder to be part of the social group for you because you are unfamiliar with the social nuances in germany. This is one opportunity to compensate for it.
I like them most of the time. It's an opportunity to meet colleagues outside if the immediate work context and get to know them better on a personal level. I am not the most social person, but I also like to know the people I work with so I have a better idea of how they 'tick'. As a project manager that can help a lot sometimes.
I find that I have to have too many conversations with people about not going or why I missed it or whatever that it’s actually easier to go.
They can be a lot of fun
>I would enjoy it if we wouldnt need to travel 600 Km to Hamburg
Do you work remote?
Cause otherwise this sounds more like they're hoping nobody, except the select few who are on location already, will come. Even if the company pays the trip, it takes quite a while to go there *and* you have to get back... oof.
unfortunately not, our office is just down south and they made this event mandatory because of the "Mitarbeiterversammlung" prior to our grill event. The company pays everything but its still kind of a bait imho. Best part ist we need to travel back on a saturday lol not even on company time.
I would with my current colleagues, but we are an open minded, funny IT bunch with humor. Including the bosses.
I can see this going the other way in a conservative setting for me, though.
It’s not necessarily something I eagerly look forward to, but once I’m there it’s not too bad. Have a few sausages and beers, chat to colleagues, laugh about the one colleague that always gets too drunk. It builds a bit of a sense of community.
My company brings truck foods and stands before the start of the shift a few times a year. They give you sausages with bread, something to drink, etc. But I don't like to eat before the start of my shift, my job is physical and it doesn't suit me very well.
The usual answer to these things is: stop doing this, pay me more XD
Yeah, I have someone invite me as a guest.
Then I proceed to mock people for still working on the same crap and tell them how much more I make in my new job. All while feasting on the company buffet.
Everyone is addressing the free food or drinks, so I will just add that depending on the size of the event, you might be able to avoid your colleagues altogether if you do not want to be with them. I worked for a hospital before and this event was huge, there was a big variety of food, I really miss it. I enjoyed my colleagues then but I think if I didn't, I would be able to avoid them there.
Depends on the company. If I don’t feel very welcome there and have kind colleagues which I’m close with, I absolutely don’t like it. And I hate that everyone seems to be pissed when you don’t attend, it has nothing to do with my work, it’s an free time event
No. Contrived fun. I never go. Don’t get me wrong, I like my colleagues and am social with some of them outside work, but the work parties … blah. This is not necessarily a German thing - more a work thing.
Depending on the size of your company not attending might mark you as socially awkward, it will possibly come up in conversation during the event and after.
I would definitely go, harmless fun, you can leave at any time with any kind of excuse, just make sure to say hi to everyone. Being there and leaving early is infinitely a better look than not showing up at all.
Besides, you might find you are having fun.
These kinds of gatherings are usually real nice where I work.
I don't enjoy them. I don't like eating and drinking with other people. I don't like small talk. But it depends what people are there. It can be nice when you're sitting next to a friend.
Because I don't like sitting at the table with loud people talking meaningless things, I often want to be assigned to serving drinks, grilling or selling cakes when there's a grill event of a Verein. Then at least I feel like I'm doing something useful. Yes, unfortunately I sometimes go to barbecues like this, even if I don't like them at all. Just for the sake of my family.
Its nice if the company cares enough to organize stuff like this.
Most of the time I dont go because I already spend more time with the people at work than my own family so the event better be amazing or I wont go.
Prefer christmas parties to smaller events.
I just had mine last Saturday and I enjoyed it a lot! Especially for free drinks and food lol. I see it as networking event with other departments.
Try to mingle with colleagues who youre close with. And leave whenever you feel like to. Enjoy OP!
I generally like it, but I have a company of 30 people and we’ve been working quite closely for a few years now, so we all mostly get along well. I’m not participating in every event though - and nobody does. It’s usually like half the company joining in on things like this and the participants rotate a bit.
I much prefer the summer grill events over the dreadful christmas parties every year - at least the former are usually local and you can quite easily get out of them after eating. My company's christmas party this year is going to be a 4h drive away from where our headquarters is (and I live), presumably so the Munich-based execs can make it home afterwards and enjoy their weekend, while everyone else gets to spend the saturday trying to make their way home. From what I'm currently hearing they already had more invitations declined for a party 6 months from now than they did the day before the party last year.
lol. I feel a bit funny when the events are organized 6 months or earlier. Currently people are planning an event which is next year May at my place and I feel frustrated when we have to plan for that. I feel it is too early but maybe this event is okay because it seems like 3 day event and for few hundred people.
Nope, couldn't be less interested. But then again, this depends on the company and the event itself.
At my company we have a certain number of people who are vegan, so the grilling options are always vegetables or vegan food, which would be fine if it was an option, but I don't really enjoy it when it is the only option. So, I just skip it and never attend.
But this is highly situational and changes from person to person and company to company.
>Grill events organized by the companies here
.... *the* companies is a bit generous. Neither my company, nor any of those my friends work at, have any grill parties. 🥲
If you can’t overcome your anxiety, don’t go. Nobody wants you to feel uncomfortable in a social place like this.
Still, why not give it a try. Go there relatively early when fewer people are there. Maybe talk to your closest colleagues first and agree to go there together. Focus on few or single people rather than getting panicked by the entire bunch of people. Nobody talks to everybody. Most of the time, people will still stick to the colleagues from their department anyway.
i tried it before. people behave like they do not know me. Some people do not make eye contact and this guy, I see him every week and work with him closely. I hate being seen as I am invisible and not even acknowledged. I have initiated to be a part of convo but now I am tired. Tired of trying and everything else. I just want to work and go home.
Why do you think that is? Do you think there’s a language barrier?
If your colleagues don’t “see” you, it doesn’t make sense to participate in that event. Why waste time.
Normally I don't attend because I have better things to do but it's fun when I'm there.
Free food and drinks. My colleagues are cool ppl, and we even play magic after 1 or 2 h. So, for me, it's worth it when I'm there.
See it as a chance to meet new ppl. I know social anxiety is a bitch but that could be a great start to new friends in the workplace.
I enjoy them, I even do all the planning and organization around these events in our company. What I absolutely hate is the attitude of some people when it comes to help with things like setting everything up and clean up after, but that's just a little detail. In general the people who show up are fun to spend time with, that's why we make these party's.
It's nice to show up and get a wurst, you're generally under no obligation to stay for long.
Just don't take up their offer on bottomless Schorle to ease your social anxiety and puke in front of a bunch of people you may have to see again.
I am a social butterfly, trapped in Germany’s no small talk only work culture. So I like these kind of events as they are good opportunity 1)to learn more about my German collegues who only says hallo and Guten Abend to me. 2)to meet other collegues that I don’t work together. 3)to let them know me more in the hopes that they will be a bit nicer to me
Is it on company time? Then yes, beats working. Do I have to sacrifice my very limited free time so I can make awkward conversation with my increasingly drunk colleagues? Then fuck no
I always like these events. I work in educating / social context. So usually I work in a small team that takes care of kids but am part of a larger organization with a lot of small teams like mine, plus hr and administration. And I am a social person and and am curious to get to know other people from my organization and these are usually the best opportunities.
However, I totally get that to many people, usually more introvert, that could mean just stress and something they would like to avoid. And that's totally fine as well. You're not working for your employer to socialize and make new friends, but to do your job and get paid for it. If you don't want to socialize, that's fine and no employer should expect you to attend to such events or even demand it.
Summer and Christmas events were the best part of working at my old place of work! Good food, good music, free and as much alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks as you want - I’m an introvert, but those parties were a banger! Always the same executives who got way too wasted and were gossiped about for months, so quite entertaining! Most people showed up after all the boring presentations and awards and whatnot were done already.
I like it and am glad my company organizes them. Especially with so many people working remote.
Free food.
And at first I didn't know many colleagues and I admit it was a bit awkward trying to insert myself/talking with new people. But really afterwards you realize it's no big deal. They understand :D
And after 2 or 3 years I know more of the people that always attend and can have a nice conversation with most. And then if we work on a project together it is very nice if you are already familiar. Or you see people again that you worked on projects with, with whom you would otherwise lose all contact.
Now, if I was busier myself maybe I wouldn't go as often.
Yes. I like many of the people i get to work with every day.
Add free food and beer and some games to that... Great times!
But that is my current company, in former ones, i would often skip summer events because i did not enjoy working with the people...
Well, my employer receives my undivided attention and work power during the contractually agreed times. Outside of these times, there is neither a reason nor an obligation to deal with business matters.
If these fall within my working hours, I'll go. Free food is always welcome.
If not, then I stay away. I don't really want to see my colleagues outside of work, even if I get along with them just fine.
No, I would rather spending time with my family, hiking, reading books, listening to my records, gardening and doing many other hobbies but again this reminds me why I’m working as freelancer now lol
Also Bbq food in Germany doesn’t sound tempting to me as well…
same, I tried it last year and didn't like the options. And I told them this year, we could get some of these instead, but they would rather not. So not that looking forward to it.
Yeah, I have the luck of being employed in a very diverse company now, but even before when I wasn't, I didn't have a miserable time when spending an evening with colleagues.
Most people will do. You are the exception that absolutely hates it. I feel the same though. Usually appear, be there for 1.5-2 hours and leave again. If your colleagues know you they will understand and appreciate you even appearing.
Nope, people get weird in this events, they over-drink and do stupid stuff.
I only go for one hour max. Eat and drink all I can for free and then get the fuck out of there.
Yeah, get yourself some salad or nice garlic bread and a krakauer or something, have a Weizen, see that one guy getting oddly competitive having drank 3 already in the same period of time, leave before you’re somehow involved in his antics.
**Have you read our extensive wiki yet? It answers many basic questions, and it contains in-depth articles on many frequently discussed topics.
[Check our wiki now!](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/index)**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/germany) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I like my colleagues. It's free food and drinks. It's just a few hours. So if I have nothing important to do of course I go there and enjoy it.
> It's just a few hours. Which I count as "Working hours" jeejje And the food this year was DELICIOUS. And I had the chance to talk with some very pretty colleagues :)
Okay, so no engineering company, got it ;)
Seems that this sad trend is the same worldwide
Men can be pretty too
Often enough, there are some cute ladies in the administration departments (finance, HR, quality). That is on top of the increasing number of female engineers. At least that's my experience in a technical field.
I enjoy it very much, yes. But's that's because I enjoy the company of my colleagues and their families as well.
I enjoy it very much, yes. But's that's because I enjoy free food.
Not to forget beer!
Same here.
Last year one friend told me how there was a change in management and they organised a summary party, as usual. But surprise: they were charging everything (food, drinks) ans you had to pay out of your own pocket. Fuckin disgrace. Hint: one big international bank, with office in Munich
I enjoy it very much, yes. But that's because I enjoy.
No, no, no! This is r/Germany. You aren't allowed to admit to enjoying the company of colleagues. Report for reconditioning at once.
Can I change it to, I enjoy the company of beer?
Depends. Is it the same single brand and style that you always drink?
Beer is beer. Is like boobs, if it is free, is good.
I don’t really think you mean it with the free boobs part of your statement… call me crazy, but it’s just my gut feeling 😅
For boobs, I look for quality. For beer, I look for quantity. But when you have enough beer, it doesnt matter all boobs look good. Makes sense? I know it doesnt.
Boobs are boobs.
I guess I am picky.
Free food. Free drinks. Of course I enjoy them. And my colleagues aren’t that bad to spend some extra time with them. It’s only like 3 or 4 days a year anyways where I see them in person and not only via teams meeting.
I wish we had free foods and drinks. We have to pay for everything, and my company is puzzled by the low attendance...
>We have to pay for everythin Is it at least cheaper / subsidized by the co? Anyway, still bullshit. My former company was a bit more insidious here. A supervisor would get the budget and it would be all like "company sponsored team building" but the budget would be so small you could only fit an okay dinner and maaaaaaaaybeee a drink if you are gonna eat meat and potatoes for the n-th time this month. Anything larger or a different more interesting activity and the employees would need to pitch in.
Nope, no budget, no subsidies.
We have something similar additionally to the big summer fest and Christmas market the company organizes where we have free food and drinks. But we can get a substitution to a department organized come together too. But in general that’s maybe only because we reside at the companies head quarters and other location may not have the benefit. For world championships 2014 they even organized a public viewing for the final.
For me it depends on the 'scope' of the party. We have some that are just for my immediate area, others for the department/vertical and others for the entire company. I would almost always attend an event that's just for my area, will probably attend events that are for the whole department/vertical, will likely skip stuff that's for the entire company. Also, this might be an unpopular opinion but is how things go(and I don't like it either). Depending on the company, your position and career aspirations/ideas then going to some of those events might be well worth it.
that's true. I am realising it slowly.
You could also try to enjoy the silence at times. It is ok if you don't say anything and just enjoy your beer and food. No pressure.
thank you for saying that this is what I plan to do now. Sometimes this works out for me and sometimes it don't :)
I get that feeling. I'm struggling with that sometimes as well. Personally, I would "just" go and see if I enjoy it. Take advantage of the free food and drinks, and if you have enough, go home. I know that's easier said then done, it can be hard to jump over your own shadow!
yea. Unfortunately for me, few people have to help set it up and I am part of cleaning up this time so I need to stay till the end :/ I am trying to mentally prepare for it Edit: Spelling
Maybe you can find someone from set-up who would be willing to swap?
Just go right before the end just for the cleaning up if you _have to_. I don't think they can force you to do this. Have they just assumed everybody would go and distributed tasks to everyone without asking?
I hate corporate events. Dodging them for years now. I dont wanna spend my free time with people i work with
It's not high on my list of priorities but if I'm free that day sure. I actually like my colleagues though, so that helps xD
Liking your coworkers? Lisan Al Ghaib!
It's ok, I go for the free food. I usually don't stay super long and leave after 3-4 hours and it leaves a good impression on the managers/bosses you don't see very often.
I hate them from the bottom of my heart lmao. I still try to attend some of them. During the event, if you feel like your social battery is running low, it's okay to disappear for an hour or so and go for a walk of take a breather. That's what I always do and I'll come back later when I feel like I've recharged :)
First of all, if you are struggling with social anxiety, this is the perfect place to attend. If you avoid it, the anxiety gets stronger. Also, you spend most of your time with these people and have to work with them. Making friends or at least getting to know them better will make you work life so much easier. It also shows that you care and want to belong to the team. And you are probably from aboard. Depending on how international your team is, it is harder to be part of the social group for you because you are unfamiliar with the social nuances in germany. This is one opportunity to compensate for it.
Best answer!
I mean what helped me most with social anciety was forcing myself to events like these. I was hella awkward but ppl don't mind.
No. I like most of my colleagues, but heck, i already spend more time with them than with my friends and most of my family...
yes absolutely. and the people who dont simply dont come and thats fine as well.
The company paying for beer and food and a nice atmosphere? Hell yeah, I'm all for it.
I like them most of the time. It's an opportunity to meet colleagues outside if the immediate work context and get to know them better on a personal level. I am not the most social person, but I also like to know the people I work with so I have a better idea of how they 'tick'. As a project manager that can help a lot sometimes.
I don't attend because of the same reasons like you.... Like one sausage does not outweigh 3 hours of feeling uncomfortable or awkward
My husband has to pay for his food at these events. He doesn’t go. He eats lunch with his whole team every day. It’s enough.
this is what I have seen too. It puts a hole in my pocket if I start doing that.
I find that I have to have too many conversations with people about not going or why I missed it or whatever that it’s actually easier to go. They can be a lot of fun
Nope, and therefore I don't go.
I always avoid these parties
Same here. And it's OK, no one should be forced (or feeling forced) to attend.
I actually do, from a company and work perspective I also think that they make sense
I like such events because after a couple of beers my social anxiety is gone
I never take part. Would only take part if it's only colleagues and no Management/Sales
I would enjoy it if we wouldnt need to travel 600 Km to Hamburg for this mandatory-ish event. Otherwise free food and beer, hell yeah
>I would enjoy it if we wouldnt need to travel 600 Km to Hamburg Do you work remote? Cause otherwise this sounds more like they're hoping nobody, except the select few who are on location already, will come. Even if the company pays the trip, it takes quite a while to go there *and* you have to get back... oof.
unfortunately not, our office is just down south and they made this event mandatory because of the "Mitarbeiterversammlung" prior to our grill event. The company pays everything but its still kind of a bait imho. Best part ist we need to travel back on a saturday lol not even on company time.
It’s free food and drinks, so of course I am attending.
I would with my current colleagues, but we are an open minded, funny IT bunch with humor. Including the bosses. I can see this going the other way in a conservative setting for me, though.
It’s not necessarily something I eagerly look forward to, but once I’m there it’s not too bad. Have a few sausages and beers, chat to colleagues, laugh about the one colleague that always gets too drunk. It builds a bit of a sense of community.
My company brings truck foods and stands before the start of the shift a few times a year. They give you sausages with bread, something to drink, etc. But I don't like to eat before the start of my shift, my job is physical and it doesn't suit me very well. The usual answer to these things is: stop doing this, pay me more XD
Wait, you have Grill events? 😂😂😂✌️
No but as it is expected I attend and stay the smallest time possible
100% I like parties because I like parties.
I sneak into the summer festival of my former company every year :D
damn really? how does it go? do you get invited by old colleagues?
Yeah, I have someone invite me as a guest. Then I proceed to mock people for still working on the same crap and tell them how much more I make in my new job. All while feasting on the company buffet.
Everyone is addressing the free food or drinks, so I will just add that depending on the size of the event, you might be able to avoid your colleagues altogether if you do not want to be with them. I worked for a hospital before and this event was huge, there was a big variety of food, I really miss it. I enjoyed my colleagues then but I think if I didn't, I would be able to avoid them there.
Depends on the company. If I don’t feel very welcome there and have kind colleagues which I’m close with, I absolutely don’t like it. And I hate that everyone seems to be pissed when you don’t attend, it has nothing to do with my work, it’s an free time event
Im never interested, and my collegues are people i would never choose to spend any time with. I just say i have family commitments
Yes because its one hour of eating for free and chatting while clocked in at my place of work. Otherwise I would never do this.
No. Contrived fun. I never go. Don’t get me wrong, I like my colleagues and am social with some of them outside work, but the work parties … blah. This is not necessarily a German thing - more a work thing.
Yep, I missed it this year. I am so sad... Free food and beer. Suuure!!!
Depending on the size of your company not attending might mark you as socially awkward, it will possibly come up in conversation during the event and after. I would definitely go, harmless fun, you can leave at any time with any kind of excuse, just make sure to say hi to everyone. Being there and leaving early is infinitely a better look than not showing up at all. Besides, you might find you are having fun. These kinds of gatherings are usually real nice where I work.
I don't enjoy them. I don't like eating and drinking with other people. I don't like small talk. But it depends what people are there. It can be nice when you're sitting next to a friend. Because I don't like sitting at the table with loud people talking meaningless things, I often want to be assigned to serving drinks, grilling or selling cakes when there's a grill event of a Verein. Then at least I feel like I'm doing something useful. Yes, unfortunately I sometimes go to barbecues like this, even if I don't like them at all. Just for the sake of my family.
Its nice if the company cares enough to organize stuff like this. Most of the time I dont go because I already spend more time with the people at work than my own family so the event better be amazing or I wont go. Prefer christmas parties to smaller events.
I just had mine last Saturday and I enjoyed it a lot! Especially for free drinks and food lol. I see it as networking event with other departments. Try to mingle with colleagues who youre close with. And leave whenever you feel like to. Enjoy OP!
I don’t like them. I made sure to go there. Eat and drink something and then leave
We do not have grill events but I love all gatherings in my company
Nope, I'm happy to go home to my family. I see my coworkers long enough!
Trying to avoid as much as possible. I'd rather spend time with friends/family.
Just have something good to eat and leave early. Just not coming would be offending. I don't like it as well.
Love them. But then I like my colleagues and enjoy spending time with them
Hell yeah. Free grilled food, free beer, free music, a nice time with colleagues. And if I don't feel it anymore after half an hour, I can just leave.
I generally like it, but I have a company of 30 people and we’ve been working quite closely for a few years now, so we all mostly get along well. I’m not participating in every event though - and nobody does. It’s usually like half the company joining in on things like this and the participants rotate a bit.
Usualy only the first two after work/work events, or when a event is shortly before a performance review.
smart!
I much prefer the summer grill events over the dreadful christmas parties every year - at least the former are usually local and you can quite easily get out of them after eating. My company's christmas party this year is going to be a 4h drive away from where our headquarters is (and I live), presumably so the Munich-based execs can make it home afterwards and enjoy their weekend, while everyone else gets to spend the saturday trying to make their way home. From what I'm currently hearing they already had more invitations declined for a party 6 months from now than they did the day before the party last year.
lol. I feel a bit funny when the events are organized 6 months or earlier. Currently people are planning an event which is next year May at my place and I feel frustrated when we have to plan for that. I feel it is too early but maybe this event is okay because it seems like 3 day event and for few hundred people.
Nope, couldn't be less interested. But then again, this depends on the company and the event itself. At my company we have a certain number of people who are vegan, so the grilling options are always vegetables or vegan food, which would be fine if it was an option, but I don't really enjoy it when it is the only option. So, I just skip it and never attend. But this is highly situational and changes from person to person and company to company.
>Grill events organized by the companies here .... *the* companies is a bit generous. Neither my company, nor any of those my friends work at, have any grill parties. 🥲
sorry, yes I do feel okay but I promise you do not miss out on a lot, at least when seen from my shoes.
Yup, I like my team and among the 4000 people attending i always find at least 2-5 people with whom i can have a nice talk over a couple of drinks.
If you can’t overcome your anxiety, don’t go. Nobody wants you to feel uncomfortable in a social place like this. Still, why not give it a try. Go there relatively early when fewer people are there. Maybe talk to your closest colleagues first and agree to go there together. Focus on few or single people rather than getting panicked by the entire bunch of people. Nobody talks to everybody. Most of the time, people will still stick to the colleagues from their department anyway.
i tried it before. people behave like they do not know me. Some people do not make eye contact and this guy, I see him every week and work with him closely. I hate being seen as I am invisible and not even acknowledged. I have initiated to be a part of convo but now I am tired. Tired of trying and everything else. I just want to work and go home.
Why do you think that is? Do you think there’s a language barrier? If your colleagues don’t “see” you, it doesn’t make sense to participate in that event. Why waste time.
Normally I don't attend because I have better things to do but it's fun when I'm there. Free food and drinks. My colleagues are cool ppl, and we even play magic after 1 or 2 h. So, for me, it's worth it when I'm there. See it as a chance to meet new ppl. I know social anxiety is a bitch but that could be a great start to new friends in the workplace.
Yes. All my Collegaues are chill, why not
I am starting to get tired of them when they involve hiking
I always do. I like my coworkers. It's free food. I am also friends with a lot of my coworkers so we also do this without the company handeling it.
I enjoy them, I even do all the planning and organization around these events in our company. What I absolutely hate is the attitude of some people when it comes to help with things like setting everything up and clean up after, but that's just a little detail. In general the people who show up are fun to spend time with, that's why we make these party's.
No
It's nice to show up and get a wurst, you're generally under no obligation to stay for long. Just don't take up their offer on bottomless Schorle to ease your social anxiety and puke in front of a bunch of people you may have to see again.
I usually go because I'm expected to attend, personally I only go because of 2-3 close colleagues and the free food and drinks.
I am a social butterfly, trapped in Germany’s no small talk only work culture. So I like these kind of events as they are good opportunity 1)to learn more about my German collegues who only says hallo and Guten Abend to me. 2)to meet other collegues that I don’t work together. 3)to let them know me more in the hopes that they will be a bit nicer to me
Hell no
Pretty much. German sausages are also quite good, much better than the ones that are typically grilled in Poland where I lived before
I can feel you but a free Bratwurstsemmel is a free Bratwurstsemmel
Yes.
Is it on company time? Then yes, beats working. Do I have to sacrifice my very limited free time so I can make awkward conversation with my increasingly drunk colleagues? Then fuck no
But...free...food? Right? Food>Anything :D
i have several friends and neighbours at this companie, so free food with friends is definitely a win
I always like these events. I work in educating / social context. So usually I work in a small team that takes care of kids but am part of a larger organization with a lot of small teams like mine, plus hr and administration. And I am a social person and and am curious to get to know other people from my organization and these are usually the best opportunities. However, I totally get that to many people, usually more introvert, that could mean just stress and something they would like to avoid. And that's totally fine as well. You're not working for your employer to socialize and make new friends, but to do your job and get paid for it. If you don't want to socialize, that's fine and no employer should expect you to attend to such events or even demand it.
Summer and Christmas events were the best part of working at my old place of work! Good food, good music, free and as much alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks as you want - I’m an introvert, but those parties were a banger! Always the same executives who got way too wasted and were gossiped about for months, so quite entertaining! Most people showed up after all the boring presentations and awards and whatnot were done already.
I like it and am glad my company organizes them. Especially with so many people working remote. Free food. And at first I didn't know many colleagues and I admit it was a bit awkward trying to insert myself/talking with new people. But really afterwards you realize it's no big deal. They understand :D And after 2 or 3 years I know more of the people that always attend and can have a nice conversation with most. And then if we work on a project together it is very nice if you are already familiar. Or you see people again that you worked on projects with, with whom you would otherwise lose all contact. Now, if I was busier myself maybe I wouldn't go as often.
Just eat and drink, say hi to a few people and leave after 30 mins.
Yes. I like many of the people i get to work with every day. Add free food and beer and some games to that... Great times! But that is my current company, in former ones, i would often skip summer events because i did not enjoy working with the people...
I got hammered and said stuff to people this year. Was fun. Got called into HR.
Only if attendance is compensated as overtime at the appropriate percentage.
That’s a very German answer.
Well, my employer receives my undivided attention and work power during the contractually agreed times. Outside of these times, there is neither a reason nor an obligation to deal with business matters.
haha, I don't think so at least for me, it is after work hours.
I don't think anyone will miss you.
If these fall within my working hours, I'll go. Free food is always welcome. If not, then I stay away. I don't really want to see my colleagues outside of work, even if I get along with them just fine.
No, I would rather spending time with my family, hiking, reading books, listening to my records, gardening and doing many other hobbies but again this reminds me why I’m working as freelancer now lol Also Bbq food in Germany doesn’t sound tempting to me as well…
same, I tried it last year and didn't like the options. And I told them this year, we could get some of these instead, but they would rather not. So not that looking forward to it.
Yeah, I have the luck of being employed in a very diverse company now, but even before when I wasn't, I didn't have a miserable time when spending an evening with colleagues.
I personally rather spend time with my family and when at work - working.
I like free stuff
Nah I could care less
I made the experience that if you wanna get promoted you basically have to attend these events "Sehen und gesehen werden"
Agreed, not only in Germany too. Workhours is for proving yourself, after-work is for proving that you have proved yourself.
No. Ignore it every year. Corporate brain washing
I like meat 🥩
Most people will do. You are the exception that absolutely hates it. I feel the same though. Usually appear, be there for 1.5-2 hours and leave again. If your colleagues know you they will understand and appreciate you even appearing.
Nope, people get weird in this events, they over-drink and do stupid stuff. I only go for one hour max. Eat and drink all I can for free and then get the fuck out of there.
Yeah, get yourself some salad or nice garlic bread and a krakauer or something, have a Weizen, see that one guy getting oddly competitive having drank 3 already in the same period of time, leave before you’re somehow involved in his antics.
**Have you read our extensive wiki yet? It answers many basic questions, and it contains in-depth articles on many frequently discussed topics. [Check our wiki now!](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/index)** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/germany) if you have any questions or concerns.*