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Every company offering "friday beer" I've worked at also offered the beer for free and up to an hour of extra paid break. Drinking the beer was never an obligat

Every company offering "friday beer" I've worked at also offered the beer for free and up to an hour of extra paid break. Drinking the beer was never an obligation and there's always non-alcoholic alternatives. This gave us an opportunity to meet with all the other teams / departments. Sure, I would rather be at my local microbrewery drinking stout with my friends rather than drink cheap pilsner at work but it has its benefits. There is no way I would have been as close to those people if not for this paid social time. It also helps the work. Very often people would vent about their projects and other coworkers would listen and come up with quick solutions to their issues. "Oh yeah, X software is a pain in the ass. Did you try doing Z? I had to work with that software at my previous job and doing Z always helped!". Even in those cultures, I've never ever seen an employer allowing anyone to drink during the rest of the week. Now that would be obscene.

ryandrake 9y ago
Yea, there is a huge difference between “Beer Friday night after work is done” and “Second Bottle of Wine Tuesday morning.” I’ve seen both.
bassman9000 9y ago
There is no way I would have been as close to those people if not for this paid social time. One of the worst aspects IMHO of the US working culture is the blurring of the working/personal divide. Because the consequence is the semi-permanent working state of mind. Don't get me wrong, I like to get along with my colleagues. But they're that, colleagues, not friends. These events only perpetuate the working vibe and merge it with the after-working-hours.
- Raphmedia 9y ago
  Don't get me wrong. By close I mean that we can have a chat when we stumble on each others in front of the coffee machine. I've only ever met a handful of my coworkers outside of work hour... and it was for happy hour at a bar or for a team BBQ.

ryandrake 9y ago

Yea, there is a huge difference between “Beer Friday night after work is done” and “Second Bottle of Wine Tuesday morning.” I’ve seen both.

bassman9000 9y ago

There is no way I would have been as close to those people if not for this paid social time. One of the worst aspects IMHO of the US working culture is the blurring of the working/personal divide. Because the consequence is the semi-permanent working state of mind. Don't get me wrong, I like to get along with my colleagues. But they're that, colleagues, not friends. These events only perpetuate the working vibe and merge it with the after-working-hours.

Raphmedia 9y ago
Don't get me wrong. By close I mean that we can have a chat when we stumble on each others in front of the coffee machine. I've only ever met a handful of my coworkers outside of work hour... and it was for happy hour at a bar or for a team BBQ.