- Jul 9, 2010
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- Fremantle
It's about time to lament the state of the good old end of year work Chrissy do, where you'd get the balls to speak to Miranda and you'd make a pillock of yourself but it's okay because so too did everyone.
These days, businesses just don't seem to have one. As far as I can understand, these used to be common place 'thank yous' to the little man, regardless of if he was a s**t-eating cog mopping floors or the boozy TV presenter at the ABC: everyone got a Christmas party because it was a simple, common thank you for a year's work.
It's now a supreme privilege to have a work do and it seems so many now have stingy caveats: no partners, bring a dish, do it on a Tuesday because the venue hire is cheaper.
To me, it isn't even about wanting to see people you work with. A lot of people don't want to be mates with their co-workers, and that's fine. A fair few people wouldn't be interested in going to an event like this. But it's about the spirit of giving something back, and the fine tradition of 'should I or shouldn't I?', wacking on some cologne, and drinking free Peronis while you yarn about a common ground like football or how much everyone in HR up in Sydney are campaigners.
The carefree atmosphere and inevitable horseplay is now gone. The bitching, the conversation with someone you would never have had, the seeing the Indian bloke rock up that you didn't expect to... all pissed away through mega-corporations counting to the last decimal point.
In fact, so many companies now are lucky to give out $20 vouchers as a thanks. I know massive employers like Coles and Woolworths simply give staff a 10%, not 5%, discount for December. Those companies are grotty enough but that sort of s**t is an insult and a slur to the working people, the average people, of Australia.
I love going to pubs in December on a nice, sunny, orange bright afternoon and seeing people rock up and some silly DJ being in the front bar. Even as an onlooker there's a nice vibe to people rocking up and hanging out who usually don't past 5pm, all in a good mood, having a few drinks and a laugh.
Heaps of my mates have never been to one – I haven't. I wouldn't even particularly be energised by it, but I'd still go. Have some awkward 'hey man, how's it going?' Talk about the surprisingly nice venue, the unsurprisingly stingey one... you know... see what these people wear out of work, see how they act, suss out what they drink! Maybe, who knows, one of them is a lager lout or someone rocks up on pingers. I don't know. But it seems a heckin shame and sham that we no longer have the work party, and that work party season is going to get less and less obvious these days.
Do you have a Christmas party for work? Did you? Any good stories? Any bad?
These days, businesses just don't seem to have one. As far as I can understand, these used to be common place 'thank yous' to the little man, regardless of if he was a s**t-eating cog mopping floors or the boozy TV presenter at the ABC: everyone got a Christmas party because it was a simple, common thank you for a year's work.
It's now a supreme privilege to have a work do and it seems so many now have stingy caveats: no partners, bring a dish, do it on a Tuesday because the venue hire is cheaper.
To me, it isn't even about wanting to see people you work with. A lot of people don't want to be mates with their co-workers, and that's fine. A fair few people wouldn't be interested in going to an event like this. But it's about the spirit of giving something back, and the fine tradition of 'should I or shouldn't I?', wacking on some cologne, and drinking free Peronis while you yarn about a common ground like football or how much everyone in HR up in Sydney are campaigners.
The carefree atmosphere and inevitable horseplay is now gone. The bitching, the conversation with someone you would never have had, the seeing the Indian bloke rock up that you didn't expect to... all pissed away through mega-corporations counting to the last decimal point.
In fact, so many companies now are lucky to give out $20 vouchers as a thanks. I know massive employers like Coles and Woolworths simply give staff a 10%, not 5%, discount for December. Those companies are grotty enough but that sort of s**t is an insult and a slur to the working people, the average people, of Australia.
I love going to pubs in December on a nice, sunny, orange bright afternoon and seeing people rock up and some silly DJ being in the front bar. Even as an onlooker there's a nice vibe to people rocking up and hanging out who usually don't past 5pm, all in a good mood, having a few drinks and a laugh.
Heaps of my mates have never been to one – I haven't. I wouldn't even particularly be energised by it, but I'd still go. Have some awkward 'hey man, how's it going?' Talk about the surprisingly nice venue, the unsurprisingly stingey one... you know... see what these people wear out of work, see how they act, suss out what they drink! Maybe, who knows, one of them is a lager lout or someone rocks up on pingers. I don't know. But it seems a heckin shame and sham that we no longer have the work party, and that work party season is going to get less and less obvious these days.
Do you have a Christmas party for work? Did you? Any good stories? Any bad?
