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To me, the key phrase in this article was "most organisations still subtly force people to show up under the garb of networking and engagement and even fun." T

To me, the key phrase in this article was "most organisations still subtly force people to show up under the garb of networking and engagement and even fun." There's the issue to me. Have all the pizza parties you want, but I hate the undertones that you're not a team player if you don't show up to a voluntary function after work hours.

baremetal 4y ago
Pizza parties should be during work hours. What kind of party is it if you aren't paying me to be there?
- ljf 4y ago
  I love networking events on company time - feels like great two way value. But put it into the evening and all of a sudden you are bumping up against my time with my family (and my hobbies). If the value is there for me, and it isn't too regular, then I'll certainly go to something out of hours, but if it is purely a social then the pay off becomes harder for me. When I was younger though (and child free), I'd jump at these sort of events, and loved them. A company I used to work for wrapped up about 6pm, except Friday when you were still expected to be around until 6, but there were beers and soft drinks plus snacks from 5pm. Most people would still end up talking work, and plenty of us would still be there talking work (in various guises) until 7pm or later, and would carry on to the pub to do the same if we fancied it. But I loved the fact it started in 'working hours' and that the snr staff would all get involved. Was a great icebreaker and helped move silos between teams and departments. Now I'm older, if it is outside of working hours, I have to see the benefit in it for me.
  - eestrada 4y ago
    > When I was younger though (and child free), I'd jump at these sort of events, and loved them. I think this is the key point. After hours parties only focus on one demographic (young and/or without children). Some non-zero percentage of the workforce will not fall into this category. People organizing such parties should not be surprised that such people don't show up.
- dividedbyzero 4y ago
  But they kind of are, because we all love what we do, so there are no work and no-work hours here at Slave Galley Inc. We're a family!
mrweasel 4y ago
The after work hours must be a culture thing. There's no way you get anyone to show up at a pizza party at work, on a Friday evening, unless you invite peoples families and give two months advanced notice. Kids need to be picked up no later than 16:30 (maybe 16:00), partner get of work at 17:30. You could be ready to go at around 19:00, but that's bedtime for the kids, so now you need a nanny... That seems like a lot of work for a free pizza.
beebeepka 4y ago
Wait, pizza parties are hosted after work hours? Never seen this
- ilyt 4y ago
  Never had one after hours
- Turing_Machine 4y ago
  Same here. In my experience, pizza parties mean a break from work accompanied by free food. I guess this just goes to show that some people will complain about anything -- even if you don't like pizza, what's wrong with getting an extra break from work with management approval? Now, some companies do have after-hours holiday parties, but those generally feature a higher level of food than pizza -- also booze. Those aren't nearly as common as they were years ago, though (too much liability from the booze factor, I reckon).

baremetal 4y ago

Pizza parties should be during work hours. What kind of party is it if you aren't paying me to be there?

ljf 4y ago
I love networking events on company time - feels like great two way value. But put it into the evening and all of a sudden you are bumping up against my time with my family (and my hobbies). If the value is there for me, and it isn't too regular, then I'll certainly go to something out of hours, but if it is purely a social then the pay off becomes harder for me. When I was younger though (and child free), I'd jump at these sort of events, and loved them. A company I used to work for wrapped up about 6pm, except Friday when you were still expected to be around until 6, but there were beers and soft drinks plus snacks from 5pm. Most people would still end up talking work, and plenty of us would still be there talking work (in various guises) until 7pm or later, and would carry on to the pub to do the same if we fancied it. But I loved the fact it started in 'working hours' and that the snr staff would all get involved. Was a great icebreaker and helped move silos between teams and departments. Now I'm older, if it is outside of working hours, I have to see the benefit in it for me.
- eestrada 4y ago
  > When I was younger though (and child free), I'd jump at these sort of events, and loved them. I think this is the key point. After hours parties only focus on one demographic (young and/or without children). Some non-zero percentage of the workforce will not fall into this category. People organizing such parties should not be surprised that such people don't show up.
dividedbyzero 4y ago
But they kind of are, because we all love what we do, so there are no work and no-work hours here at Slave Galley Inc. We're a family!

mrweasel 4y ago

The after work hours must be a culture thing. There's no way you get anyone to show up at a pizza party at work, on a Friday evening, unless you invite peoples families and give two months advanced notice. Kids need to be picked up no later than 16:30 (maybe 16:00), partner get of work at 17:30. You could be ready to go at around 19:00, but that's bedtime for the kids, so now you need a nanny... That seems like a lot of work for a free pizza.

beebeepka 4y ago

Wait, pizza parties are hosted after work hours? Never seen this

ilyt 4y ago
Never had one after hours
Turing_Machine 4y ago
Same here. In my experience, pizza parties mean a break from work accompanied by free food. I guess this just goes to show that some people will complain about anything -- even if you don't like pizza, what's wrong with getting an extra break from work with management approval? Now, some companies do have after-hours holiday parties, but those generally feature a higher level of food than pizza -- also booze. Those aren't nearly as common as they were years ago, though (too much liability from the booze factor, I reckon).