This week I have to go away for work. I generally try to avoid work trips – mostly because you have no freedom to enjoy the place so I really don’t consider it travel.
But everyone is required for two days of team building. Sigh. I’m not all that into this stuff. My team actually works together pretty well, nearly all the time.
However, I don’t need to go away with them for two days to learn that I have nothing in common with them outside of work. I already know that. When we’re waiting for others to show up for meetings we all talk. And I’ve learned in the 6 months I’ve been in this team that I have nothing personally in common with them.
And that’s fine by me. We can work well & have our own lives. But no. No, this is a big company & big companies always seem to want staff to be friends outside of work.
Is it really so wrong that I’m happy with the friends I’ve got, I’m happy with the working relationships I have with my colleagues & have no desire to change any of that?
By telling us we have to go on a team building retreat it feels like I’m being told that it is wrong that I’m happy with things the way they are. Which actually makes me like my team less. Hmm. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I know I’m not interested in a corporate career. I just happen to have one.
My other problem with this is the attitude towards alcohol. Mainly that all most people want to do is sit at our destination & drink. They even want to drink in the bus on the way there (it was said as a joke, but was a bit too serious). I’m all for drinks, don’t get me wrong. But drinks are not the activity. Drinks go along with an activity. At least to me.
The good part? The place we’re going should be absolutely beautiful, if a tad freezing. So now I’m just picking which camera to take with me
Ugh. Team building is the worst. Not only do you have to interact with your colleagues in a non-work environment, you have to pretend to like it! I won’t say have fun, because you won’t… but I’ll say I’m hoping it’s not too painful for you.
Re the alcohol thing – I’ve found even on scrapbooking camp people bring booze… sometimes I think some people are secret alcoholics trying to hide it in plain sight.
I don’t know if it will be as bad as I expect – I mean we do all get along. The last staff retreat I went on was twice and long and half the staff didn’t get along.
It just all sounds so boring too though haha. I mean we had the option of going on a segway ride – but instead they’ve chosen a scavenger hunt 🙁 Boooring. You can scavenger hunt anywhere & anytime. And I’m not against having a drink over dinner with them, it’s just drinking being the main activity is boring. I hope I’m wrong – but I’m also taking a book and putting some tv shows in my iPad & iPhone!!
Ha! I love that team building shit!
I find it really enjoyable and interesting, and I really do think that it helps to get to know the people on my team on a new level, and if it is facilitated well, then even the quieter people get a chance to speak up, and I really like that.
I will also say, that whilst I am very very friendly with the people on my team, I try not to socialise with them too much outside of work – except for the odd drinks etc. For me, I guess I keep that distinction up because I am a manager, and I find keeping just a smidge of distance makes me more comfortable in doing my job, and also less able to be accused of bias.
I loved reading this post, and I will be very keen to find out how you get on, and if it was at all worth while.
I’m going to link to your post on my facebook page, because I think that it sits well with my “work” themed blog. But don’t get all excited, because I don’t exactly have a following, but I’m working on it!!
Thanks for linking – I hope it’s better than I’m expecting, but with half the team getting out of it, it’s starting to seem a little pointless 🙂