- Joined
- Jul 28, 2018
- Location
- London
Just curious as to which you prefer. I am going to add my own context here but please share your own.
Naturally I am not a big drinker but work in an environment where a weekly drink is pretty much the norm. A couple jobs back I met a few people who would end up being close friends. In general, our preferred meeting arrangement would be to meet for a meal, try new places, have a couple drinks then finish it off with some shisha or something. Going out for a meal is always my preference over drinking for the sake of drinking.
The reason I made this topic is because I have been at my new job for a few months now and every month we have a team meeting and go out for drinks after. The thing is, it just comes across as a sad attempt by older guys to get everyone drunk and it to be one of those "crazy nights out" which it never ends up being. Everything just comes across so forced. We finish the team meeting and the first thing to do is go for a drink and chat about work. It got to a point where people were actually doing work from their mobile phones. Awkward moments of silence as it's too loud to hear what people are talking about and no one has really much to say as most people are really just thinking about the soonest they can leave without it being frowned upon, especially as we have work the next morning, as the senior members of the team try to get people rowdy by ordering drinks no one asked for and being overly insistent that people continue to drink.
The last team meeting was on a Wednesday in London and I was the only one in the group who lived in London so felt sorry for the others who had to treck back later than I did. Ended up getting home after midnight.
I prefer to have a meal much more than aimless drinking. When I go out and have a meal, it gives people a better chance to talk and at the same time have moments to themselves when eating. There is also no pressure to drink and things finish earlier even if you do decide to go out for drinks after.
Naturally I am not a big drinker but work in an environment where a weekly drink is pretty much the norm. A couple jobs back I met a few people who would end up being close friends. In general, our preferred meeting arrangement would be to meet for a meal, try new places, have a couple drinks then finish it off with some shisha or something. Going out for a meal is always my preference over drinking for the sake of drinking.
The reason I made this topic is because I have been at my new job for a few months now and every month we have a team meeting and go out for drinks after. The thing is, it just comes across as a sad attempt by older guys to get everyone drunk and it to be one of those "crazy nights out" which it never ends up being. Everything just comes across so forced. We finish the team meeting and the first thing to do is go for a drink and chat about work. It got to a point where people were actually doing work from their mobile phones. Awkward moments of silence as it's too loud to hear what people are talking about and no one has really much to say as most people are really just thinking about the soonest they can leave without it being frowned upon, especially as we have work the next morning, as the senior members of the team try to get people rowdy by ordering drinks no one asked for and being overly insistent that people continue to drink.
The last team meeting was on a Wednesday in London and I was the only one in the group who lived in London so felt sorry for the others who had to treck back later than I did. Ended up getting home after midnight.
I prefer to have a meal much more than aimless drinking. When I go out and have a meal, it gives people a better chance to talk and at the same time have moments to themselves when eating. There is also no pressure to drink and things finish earlier even if you do decide to go out for drinks after.
