I’ve seen various threads related to social functions, or other non-work functions, associated with workplaces outside of working hours, or gatherings during working hours. The general impression I’ve got from the discussions is that a lot of people do not particularly like their co-workers.
In my current job, however, I have very good co-workers and I suspect that we all feel the same way. It’s not one of those “we’re family” kind of things but we do get along very well and a few of us will get together for a few drinks every few months.
So, how well do you like your co-workers? I’m assuming the people you are physically close to and/or deal with on a regular basis.
Note: I’m attempting the polling function so I’ll see what happens.
I have had jobs in the past where I loved my coworkers. Two of my very close friends are people I met at work.
But I just started a new job a few months ago and I don’t particularly like anyone here. I don’t dislike them either, so they are just background noise. We say “hello” in the morning and “goodbye” in the evening.
I keep telling myself it could be worse - I could be surrounded by people I hate; however, it is a little depressing to come to work every day and not feel a connection with anyone I’m around. Like I said, I’ve only been here a few months, so maybe that will change eventually.
I picked option 3, though option 4 is not too far off either.
I have never actually been out to coffee with co-workers, but we have done some backyard BBQs with the whole family present. I enjoy talking with them and we sometimes do personal favors for each other, like driving to the airport, or baking cupcakes for a co-worker’s kid’s birthday party. It probably helps that two co-workers have actually been best friends for about 15 years and we hired one based on the recommendation of the other.
Looking back over my life time, I’ve never had someone I disliked enough to change my opinion of the job, and a lot of people have been purely indifferent/background.
I’ve always gotten along well with my coworkers at every job I’ve ever had and still see many of them. Just at my current job I go golfing with some on weekends, frequently meet up for drinks and dinner, and regularly host or go to parties hosted by coworkers. I’ve dated a few girls up here, had sex with a few, and last summer went skinny dipping with a few of the people here at a local lake. I’ve even taken vacations with some of my coworkers. It’s fun, I’d hate to work someplace where I wasn’t friends with the people I work with.
I like them well enough (better than “indifferent”) but we don’t do anything outside the office aside from work-related events like the annual Christmas party.
I’ve worked at four different companies in my career. At all of them, I generally got along well with most of my co-workers, would socialize at work with some of them (i.e., go out to lunch together, occasionally go out for a drink after work), and became close enough friends with a few folks at each place where I would consider them to be friends, and get together with them on occasions which had nothing to do with work. In each case, these are people with whom I’ve maintained friendships after we were no longer co-workers, often for decades.
I’m a Human Resources manager and as such, I can’t really get close to any of my on-site co-workers. I like them just fine, but it’s an occupational hazard. You have to keep in mind that at any time you may be called upon to discharge them or discipline them and it’s incredibly difficult to do if that person is your personal friend as well as your co-worker.
I generally know days even weeks in advance when we are going to let someone go. I have a decent poker face, but I’d be challenged to keep that kind of secret if I were having frequent interactions with the affected person prior to the event.
So while I enjoy some of my co-workers, I can’t really do more than occasionally socialize with a group of them on a very nonspecific level.
I like pretty much all of the people at my level, and most of the ones who are above me. There are quite a number of people that I have happily spent time without outside of the work environment. I’m fortunate to have a good group here.
I generally like my fellow teachers. Some of them are friends, most of them are background noise, and a couple I actively loathe. Pretty much the same as any workplace.
I could take or leave my immediate coworkers. I really like my boss. But my immediate coworkers work my nerves if I’m around them for too long. Almost of them have quirks that bug the shit out of me. If this sounds harsh, you can chalk it up to the horrible meeting I had today.
But I do enjoy my other coworkers. I am kinda proud of how many friends I have made in other departments and how well-connected I am to the office grapevine.
Every other job I’ve had has ranged from “friends who hang out” to “dysfunctional family who maybe hangs out too much”. This one? I barely know anyone or see them. We have two meetings a month which no one but me and the supervisor ever show up for. After I train them, I don’t see most of my coworkers except at two or three work parties a year. There’s an administrative trio in the office I see for about an hour once a week or so when I turn in my paperwork. Otherwise, I’m on the road and all our communication is by phone or email. They’re okay, but we’re not friends.
There’s only one other nurse who I would even like to get to know better; we’ve worked together some as she’s training me on a certain procedure. We may even progress to actual friends and go camping sometime. The rest of them? Might as well not exist.
I chose the last one, but, while they indeed are a great group, I’ve only ever socialized outside work with one (and that was a former co-worker whom I haven’t done anything with in over a year-usually gaming).
Out of maybe 150 people we have now, there are maybe 1 or 2 I would rather not work with directly but since I only catch one of them maybe every other month I consider that fine. Of the rest, 4 have become good enough friends that we talk and see each other outside of work at least once a week or more.
My current co-workers are a decent enough bunch but I’m not a “hang out with the gang”-type. I have made long-time friends at work in the past though; I get together with a few former co-workers on a fairly regular basis.
For instance, when I was younger I tended to form stronger relationships and did more social things with my work mates. With a couple of exceptions, the relationships with those I was closest to fell by the wayside when either of us left the company.
Today, with people having families and living further apart, our interactions tend to be superficial.
So, do I *like *them? I put forth my best effort to make the best of the situation as far as getting along and keeping things pleasant, but none of us seem to have any inclination to hang out or anything.
I like some of my coworkers, and really like my boss. Most of the others are okay, but I’m one of only a double handful of people under fifty so I don’t have a lot in common with some of the older ones.