The office can be a very formal place. After all, a certain amount of professionalism is to be expected at work.
While this can be great for business, it’s not exactly ideal for forming employee relationships. And, contrary to what some bosses may think, you may actually want those relationships. In fact, one study found a positive link between workplace relationships and job performance.
So, how do you help cultivate those relationships? One option is to regularly hold staff social hours. This allows employees the chance to socialize outside of the workplace, where they won’t be distracted by their daily tasks or be put off by the formal office culture. There are some other advantages to this approach as well, though it’s certainly not without its downsides.
So, should you have a staff social hour every week? Here are the pros and cons.
It is the designated time that we convene for drinks, snacks, and general at family gatherings big and small. I’ve always loved the term Social Hour because it gets right to the heart of how I feel about cocktails. It’s not about the drinks themselves, which are of course very nice, but the company you share them with.
Pro: It Can Be a Great Team Building Activity
It may not be your traditional team building activity where everyone works together on a problem, but that doesn’t mean it still can’t bring people together. Having your staff come together in an informal, relaxed environment may allow them to relate to each other more and form stronger bonds. This can then result in increased cooperation and just generally better working relationships at the office.
Con: People May Feel Obligated to Attend
Though everyone at the office would probably benefit from improved relationships, not everyone may want to attend a staff social hour. Some people may not have the time, while others are simply not very social. Even if you specify that they don’t have to attend, they may feel as if they’re missing out on something if they don’t make an appearance. This can lead to some miserable employees, which can make bonding at a staff social hour quite difficult.
The Bright Light Social Hour – Infinite Cities (Official Audio)
FAQ
Is Social Hour a happy hour?
What is a social hour at a wedding?
Why do they call it happy hour?
What is happy hour slang?
What does’social hour’ mean?
What does “social hour” mean? 1. Definition ( expr.) time spent talking and hanging out with people Examples We’re having a social hour at school this Friday so we can meet all the new students. blurt! Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!
What is happy hour?
No matter what you call it – beer o’clock, social hour, discount drinks, cost-effective cocktails – happy hour is that magical time of day when drinks and appetizers are discounted at many restaurants and bars. These discounts range from two-for-one deals to special pricing on select food and drink combos.
How does TechChange use social hour?
Social hour is used by Techchange in a few ways, said Martin. “We use it for networking lounges. For instance, we’re running a 10,000 person event this week called RightsCon, the largest conference on tech and human rights in the world.
Does social hour have a webinar-style presentation mode?
Over time, Frameable added a webinar-style presentation mode to Social hour. In other words, rather than adding supplementary networking-type features to a meeting platform (as so many meeting platforms have tried to do), Social hour was concerned from the get-go with making networking work. The user experience is simple and compelling.