Antiwork

[MichVandal]

I will occasionally have a drink with my coworkers/employees after work. And since a few of us really like fishing, we might do a day of fishing like once or twice a year. But yeah, otherwise I keep work and personal life separate. I won't even accept friend requests from anyone in my company on Facebook (yes I still use Facebook but it's carefully curated so I rarely if ever see any derp)

I haven't really done anything with co-workers outside of the work day for the better part of 2 decades. And I honestly think my life is better because of it. I tried for the first 1/3 of my career, but after organizing events to a lot of whining- and then to no interest later, I figured the people I knew at work were more a drain on my outside life than a good thing. Let alone the work talk.

Other than friends at work, I have zero outside work friends that I work with. 8 hours a day with someone is long enough.

I have not been to a department picnic for just about 20 years. IIRC, the last one I went to was 9/11/01- which was a reasonably memorable day.

Which is really to say that we are all very different- judging someone on their number of works friends is pretty worthless. Some people thrive on people from work, others just want to separate work from life. There is no one answer.

[LynahFan]

So much is driven by logistics and circumstance.

In Geneva (Switzerland), we got together with my wife's co-workers all the time - we were a little island of ex-pat transients in a sea of Swiss who had 1) literally 100,000x more money than our grad student/post doc peers, and 2) no interest in developing friendships with people guaranteed to move away after 2-3 years. There was great public transportation, so we all lived within a 10-minute tram ride of her co-workers and it was trivial to get together for a beer, meal, or other activity.

In Los Angeles, 70% of my co-workers commuted more than 45 min from every direction, so many of them lived more than 90 minutes apart - and they all sprinted out of work at 3 pm to rush home to beat traffic. In 3 years we were there, I think I only got together with co-workers 4 or 5 times.

[MissThundercat]

My department, I swear, is bonded by drama, trauma, mutual anger, mutual hatred, and vicious sarcasm.

[Kepler]

My department, I swear, is bonded by drama, trauma, mutual anger, mutual hatred, and vicious sarcasm.

Basically you're a WW2 movie

[dxmnkd316]

There are depts that aren't?

[Kepler]

There are depts that aren't?

Mine isn't bonded at all.

Srsly, it's completely atomistic. Nobody in my workplace hangs out with anybody else -- everybody just comes in, closes their doors, works, eats alone, goes home alone.

In the beginning I thought this was weird but after 15 years I can't remember any other way of having a work setting. Everyone is polite and there are no animosities but it's... socially hygienic. If somebody was genuinely friendly I think it would be unsettling.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

My employer tries to emphasize our humanity and encourages us to make sure we're doing well mentally/physically/spiritually (I'm not going to use the exact term they use for it) while at work. What they mean of course, is conforming to the company's definition of what constitutes a reasonably happy (and above all, productive) person.

[MissThundercat]

Finally got back into the mental health field, but only at 10-15 hours a week to start.

And I have find 40 more hours that will let me have Saturday off.

[MissThundercat]

I'm laughing too because 90% of my department has at least one foot out the door.

I wish Uber Eats was a reliable main income; way more relaxing than working retail.

[Swansong]

What do you do in the mental health field? There is enormous demand for behavioral health specialists.

[MissThundercat]

What do you do in the mental health field? There is enormous demand for behavioral health specialists.

Currently a part time behavioral technician for an autism center. Chance to become full time in January.

[Scarlet]

I'm in the office today for a video shoot. We went from a yellow risk level to orange on Monday. I had to finagle the OK to keep the shoot on because orange means no visitors. I was told no hair and make up unless it's outside, so the make up person is set up in our courtyard. I sent all the names of the crew to our security team to have visitor badges made for the crew, who were arriving at 6:45am. I get here at 6:30am to let them in...no badges. Fine, they can usually make them right there. But...the badge printer is broken. So freakin' annoying. I'm playing by the rules our security team has put in place, come in this one entrance, visitors have to wear badges at all time, etc. And no badges were pre-made and the badge printer broken.

Best part about being here during COVID - express elevators!!

[Swansong]

Currently a part time behavioral technician for an autism center. Chance to become full time in January.

Good luck!!

[Kepler]

Currently a part time behavioral technician for an autism center. Chance to become full time in January.

Very cool Amber!

[MissThundercat]

Very cool Amber!

In the meantime, I'm trying to find something else that will help cover financial gaps and doesn't mind if I leave in December.