If you're in danger of 'exploding at work' or have problems that can't be fixed through the proper channels, maybe you should focus on dealing with those issues and opening lines of communication instead of getting people to meet up at the bar after work to instill a sense of team that excludes pregnant women, older individuals, people with kids, people who don't drink, etc. I don't have drinks with my work buddies so that I don't explode. I have drinks with my work buddies because I like catching up with them and sometimes we're too busy at work to shoot the shit.
I don't think anyone has an issue with a few co-workers occasionally grabbing a brew after work. The problem is when people feel pressured to do so because the post-work ritual is replacing actual candid work discussion. Why? Well, its pretty simple. Not everyone drinks. Not everyone has the time to grab a drink after work. Not everyone feels comfortable in a bar around intoxicated co-workers.
There's a marked difference between a few co-workers grabbing a beer occasionally and friday night pints being the only place you can discuss problems you're facing at work.
> If you're in danger of 'exploding at work' or have problems that can't be fixed through the proper channels, maybe you should focus on dealing with those issues and opening lines of communication instead of getting people to meet up at the bar after work to instill a sense of team that excludes pregnant women, older individuals, people with kids, people who don't drink, etc. I don't have drinks with my work buddies so that I don't explode
Second to the above - thanks for getting semantic with me. I don't see how a bar excludes any of these people. Maybe where you live they check green cards and do ultrasounds at the door, but where I live anyone can walk into a bar and not feel compelled to drink. You seem to be really up on the inclusion game though. Why shouldn't people be excluded from certain conversations? Should I invite everyone to my complain fest about a framework they love because I hate it? I can't just leave my job, so I go to a "place" (since you seem to have this internal fixation with bars and alcohol) with "receptive people" (since you seem to think exclusion implies leaving out minorities) that can assure me I'm not alone in this world. Additionally I drink at that bar because an ice cold pint at the end of the day is great and it's a thing we all have a common. I don't drink so I don't "explode". I'm really regretting using that word because people like you fixate on minutiae so you don't have to argue an actual point.
I don't think you're nearly as level-headed as you think are you are. Everyone "winds down" some way. I prefer the bar, some people prefer a picnic at the park. There's a bar down the street from work where I can complain with people friendly to my cause about things that bother us. I don't see why this is such a problem. It's almost like you're discouraging human interaction in the name of this ambiguous spectre that haunts SV - "inclusion at all costs".
Oddly personal response. "Thanks for getting semantic with me", "People like you", "You seem to have this internal fixation with bars and alcohol", "I don't think you're nearly as level-headed as you think you are"
Again, I don't care if people grab a brew after work. I care if an organization's culture excludes those who don't.
Since the topic seems a bit close to home, imagine this: you work at a start-up and the founder only seeks frank input about how things are going during weekend sailing regattas. The two teams that are led by sailors keep having their roadblocks removed, while the rest aren't. Comparisons between the sailor led teams and the others are driving negative performance reviews for the teams you're a part of. Do you think this is healthy for the company?
Beyond the bar argument (and I've gone plenty of times with co-workers and not drank despite liking a beer or two because I had a long commute), I would say being able to have places to go for lunch / coffee outside of the building are important. There's a communal lunch table (seats 8-10) at my job and I've only eaten there once or twice. I either have a semi-private lunch 2-3 people or, if feeling like personal time, go read a book at a cafe or restaurant nearby.
I will say that the bar, and alcohol of course, are great for really bringing down the barriers for how people feel about things, as long as it doesn't get too messy. Everyone needs a room and place to vent though.
I don't think anyone has an issue with a few co-workers occasionally grabbing a brew after work. The problem is when people feel pressured to do so because the post-work ritual is replacing actual candid work discussion. Why? Well, its pretty simple. Not everyone drinks. Not everyone has the time to grab a drink after work. Not everyone feels comfortable in a bar around intoxicated co-workers.
There's a marked difference between a few co-workers grabbing a beer occasionally and friday night pints being the only place you can discuss problems you're facing at work.