5 ms·

Maybe it's because i'm european and not living in the US, but this kegerator in the office thing looks like something that gets old fast. The first weeks it may

by drtse4 13y ago

Maybe it's because i'm european and not living in the US, but this kegerator in the office thing looks like something that gets old fast. The first weeks it may sound fun, beer in the office, branded beer glasses,etc... but i don't understand how someone could care as the novelty wears of. And i hope i don't need to comment on that "devs need beer" thing, c'mon, childish stuff. Does a subset of the employee likes beer? Ok, let's go outside to taste some nice craft beer after work. I don't see anything wrong with that.

jemka 13y ago
Alcohol makes me sleepy and lose the ability to concentrate. I have no idea why people enjoy drinking when they're trying to get stuff done. Especially if any of that "stuff" requires significant brain power.
- oh_sigh 13y ago
  Maybe because different people react differently. That might be it.
dfxm12 13y ago
It has nothing to do with being European. My (multinational) company has offices in the US and Belgium. There's beer on tap in Belgium, and not in the US. Every time I visit, my colleagues in Europe always make a big stink like "how do you get stuff done over there with no beer?"
- bbarn 13y ago
  I worked for a company based in Germany, and when I'd go visit I remember the big bottles of beer in the cafeteria. I think the whole time I was there I witnessed maybe 2-3 people ever drink a beer outside of the Wednesday weisswurst lunch day (You want to talk about workplace culture being oppressive try to eat that awful stuff). It wasn't especially prohibited, it just didn't seem like anyone did it. Now, the minute we were off work, I could find half the company at the same bar in the city having a great time together nearly every day of the week.
- drtse4 13y ago
  Maybe in Belgium or in other countries with a "beer culture" like Germany, not hard to believe but not widespread anyway. Just to add another data point, when i worked for an US multinational in Italy i clearly remember there was a rule against introducing alcoholics in the workplace, each place has its rules. My point was just that in Europe drinking on the workplace isn't common or usually allowed and, at least from where i come from, i don't feel people in general are complaining about the lack of alcohol in the office. Finding beer and wine in the canteen, just for lunch, is instead quite common.
gaadd33 13y ago
A previous company I worked at had both a huge selection of wine and a kegerator in the office. I don't think the novelty of having a glass of beer or wine easily accessible at the end of the day ever really wore off, especially since the beer and wine selection constantly rotated. At least in our case it seemed to be more of a social experience for different groups of the company to relax and talk to each other, as the company was maybe 25% devs, not everyone got to regularly work with others from other departments. Sure we could have all gone out to a bar but most bars nearby were always packed with the afterwork crowd making just walking around talking to each other a huge chore (think near the front of a concert style packed).

by drtse4 13y ago

jemka 13y ago

Alcohol makes me sleepy and lose the ability to concentrate. I have no idea why people enjoy drinking when they're trying to get stuff done. Especially if any of that "stuff" requires significant brain power.

oh_sigh 13y ago
Maybe because different people react differently. That might be it.

dfxm12 13y ago

It has nothing to do with being European. My (multinational) company has offices in the US and Belgium. There's beer on tap in Belgium, and not in the US. Every time I visit, my colleagues in Europe always make a big stink like "how do you get stuff done over there with no beer?"

bbarn 13y ago
I worked for a company based in Germany, and when I'd go visit I remember the big bottles of beer in the cafeteria. I think the whole time I was there I witnessed maybe 2-3 people ever drink a beer outside of the Wednesday weisswurst lunch day (You want to talk about workplace culture being oppressive try to eat that awful stuff). It wasn't especially prohibited, it just didn't seem like anyone did it. Now, the minute we were off work, I could find half the company at the same bar in the city having a great time together nearly every day of the week.
drtse4 13y ago
Maybe in Belgium or in other countries with a "beer culture" like Germany, not hard to believe but not widespread anyway. Just to add another data point, when i worked for an US multinational in Italy i clearly remember there was a rule against introducing alcoholics in the workplace, each place has its rules. My point was just that in Europe drinking on the workplace isn't common or usually allowed and, at least from where i come from, i don't feel people in general are complaining about the lack of alcohol in the office. Finding beer and wine in the canteen, just for lunch, is instead quite common.

gaadd33 13y ago

A previous company I worked at had both a huge selection of wine and a kegerator in the office. I don't think the novelty of having a glass of beer or wine easily accessible at the end of the day ever really wore off, especially since the beer and wine selection constantly rotated. At least in our case it seemed to be more of a social experience for different groups of the company to relax and talk to each other, as the company was maybe 25% devs, not everyone got to regularly work with others from other departments. Sure we could have all gone out to a bar but most bars nearby were always packed with the afterwork crowd making just walking around talking to each other a huge chore (think near the front of a concert style packed).