Work socials

dancingfairy

Hi - I was thinking of trying to organise a work social - 1) to get to know people I work with better 2) to meet new people and 3) to practice my organising skills and to look good on my cv :rotfl:.

Is this a good idea? Anybody got any ideas that would be good. I've tried organising a pub trip but people weren't keen (everybody was either already out, had no money or wasn't the pubbing/clubbing type).
I work for a large chain so ideally would need to think of something that would include a wide range of people - ie 16 years olds to 60 years olds!

I was thinking of a pub quiz or maybe bingo or a barn dance or something. I don't want anything too big as I don't want to fall flat on my face! Ideas/thoughts welcome - has anyone one anything similar?
Thanks
df

ohreally

dancingfairy wrote: »

I've tried organising a pub trip but people weren't keen

You've tried it and it wasn't a goer. It may not be personal, but take the hint.

Takeaway_Addict

Don't bother wasting your time, it won't be appreciated and you'll be lucky if half go.

nimbo

my advice steer well clear!!!!!!

nothing gets peoples backs up at work more than the tea fund or social events, as there will always be some muppet who you cannot please.

used to work wiht a lovely girl Toni who would only ever organise events for our team as others would muck her about sooo much. - but other teams always used to comment that we all seemed to get on really well, and have a ball when we went out - so there loss...

but for the smaller groups we used to always have a wicked time.

Highlight for me was bowling on halloween in fancy dress - i was naff so tried to cheat - and get the girls behind the counter to change my scores which might have worked if they hadn't kept giving me strikes when i'd hit nothing.... (there was a booby prize that i REALLY didn't want)!!!!

PasturesNew

Everybody hates works socials.... feeling forced (and judged) to spend time with people you don't particularly like, spending money you don't have, to do things you don't like, in locations that are tricky to get to/from.

gibson123

We have a lot of family people who find evenings and weekends difficult, so we do a monthly lunch and a quarterly POETS evening, nothing complicated we decide on a restaurant and bar and do an open invite to everyone using outlook calender, people can then opt in or out without having to apologise or feel obligated. We only have one rule ... NO WORK TALK. We also do a Pot lunch just before summer and christmas holidays, we book off a training room and everyone contributes some food and drink from home. brings out the cooks and bakers.

dawyldthing

i always think when it comes to organising anything, if you try and put numbers down anywhere its a nighmare as people always drop out last minute and if its a numbers game it will cost everyone. I'd suggest maybe a meal out or something, but somewhere you don't have to book in advanced as then if people don't go its not too bad

MissSarah1972

At my last job we just used to have a team lunch or pub visit once a month but it was not set in stone. We all got on and some were mates out of work too so it was just if you want to come we are at so and so at 1pm. No one held you at gun point if you didn't.

That kind of thing takes no organising unless you are booking a table at say Cafe Roughe or Pizza Express or somewhere similar.

Evilm

I'm afraid I'm going to have to join the Naysayers here - if people are resisting it there is a good chance they don't want a work social AT ALL.

Most people do not enjoy them, do not appreciate using their own time on them and do not want to be forced to spend the money required that way (eg. down the pub, food etc)

I've not come across a work social that everyone appreciates ever! Even ones in work time are not well accepted due to the fact that a lot of times people have too much work to do and don't want to lose the working time.

If you are determined to do this do an event with the few that do want to do it - perhaps a meal/pub lunch for someone's birthday or the completion of a project? If you are management a office food do during work hours (but be prepared for the list of "I don't eat" and "I can't eat"..)

Uncertain

PasturesNew wrote: »

Everybody hates works socials.... feeling forced (and judged) to spend time with people you don't particularly like, spending money you don't have, to do things you don't like, in locations that are tricky to get to/from.

The problem is it isn't quite "everyone" that hates them - it would be easy then! There always seems to be a small minority that actually enjoys these things and they seem totally unable to grasp the fact that most don't.

getmore4less

At my old place(tech IT) there was a regular Friday lunch down the pub.

There were the regulars but anyone could turn out.

Some fridays there would be a bigger turnout birthday leaving do's work acheivments(so work buys the beer and some times a buffet) etc.

We also had a curry club, some of us liked to go to the local indian so this would happen whenever someone fancied going.

sometimes otheres would want to do things, say a comedy/bowling/meal..... night and do open invites.

Larger events like Xmas meals, days out, evening events etc only worked if funded by work. We had a few large turnouts at family days, open bar and food provided. most of these stopped as funding became an issue

So I think the trick is start small, get a core group that are inerested in something and open it up to others.

As has been said number managment is an issue if there are costs.


Flexable workng and lots of singles helped, some lunches turned into a few hours the longest(leaving do) was 11:00-19:00 with some very late working that Tues.