Office happy hours, client dinners and other after-hours work gatherings lose their luster as more people feel the pull of home
Patience for after-hours work socializing is wearing thin.
After an initial burst of postpandemic happy hours, rubber chicken dinners and mandatory office merriment, many employees are adopting a stricter 5:01-and-I’m-done attitude to their work schedules. More U.S. workers say they’re trying to draw thicker lines between work and the rest of life, and that often means clocking out and eschewing invites to socialize with co-workers. Corporate event planners say they’re already facing pushback for fall activities and any work-related functions that take place on weekends.
I admit it’s hard for me to make friends, but I’m not going to force a friendship with people with whom I have very little in common aside from working in the same office.
Yup, 100% with you there. I’m just saying that friendship can start with that one thing in common and grow. Or fizzle out when you quickly figure out it’s the only thing in common.
As another responder said, work is potentially your largest adult social pool to source from. Don’t dismiss it. But of course don’t feel obligated either.