March 24, 2011

Recreational days at work

In Finland almost all companies have recreational days for their employees. It means that the company pays it's workers for drinking and being idiots. I think the idea behind these days is very good - it COULD help employees get to know each other and maybe co-operate better afterwards. There are several reasons why this does not work in Finland. Here are few of them:

Alcohol - Finnish people like to drink. A lot. Free booze and Finnish people is possibly the worst combination you can think of. We become aggressive, horny and drooling idiots who have no self-control. I have seen awkward flirting, vomiting, terrible dancing etc. from my bosses (not my current boss, he's cool). I don't know if having sex with your secretary will help co-operating at work (or your marriage).

Finnish "small talk" - There are always people who for some reason don't drink. In these recreational happenings these people don't get noticed, at all. Nobody is interested in them. Finnish people really can't have relaxed conversations without alcohol.

Cliques - These probably exist in every country and workplace. Some examples: 
  • Housewives who talk about giving birth, how to raise your kids properly, etc. 
  • Nerds who talk about ... well, nerd stuff. 
  • Middle management who talk about money, business, sales, etc. 
  • Consultants who kiss each others asses
At all my previous jobs these cliques existed. I really felt like I don't belong.

I got the inspiration for this blog post from this comic. It's from Finnish magazine Myrkky and it's about what happens in Finnish "mini-Christmas" parties. That's quite accurate, actually. 

35 comments:

  1. Still sounds better then nothing. Paying for employees to goof of on anything other then a holiday in the US would be insane, and sometime that's debated. Alcohol? Hell no, then the company would be liable for anything stupid the employee did. Enjoy what little you have, even if everyone can be a jerk.

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  2. I wish there was something like this here. Getting drunk is expensive outside.

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  3. Sounds good to me.

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  4. hahahaha sounds like a day of fun to me!!!
    Followed :D

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  5. usually these events work better when there's some other activities aswell, along with the drinking.

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  6. I almost wonder if structured nonproductive times means that employees slack off less in regular business hours, or is it about the same?

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  7. That would be awkward for me, don't feel comfortable trying to be friends with coworkers, it's too fake.

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  8. We used to have "happy hour" parties every thursday!

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  9. I think we all need more "Recreational days" at work, haha. Great post!

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  10. looks like Finnish don't differ from Cypriots that much. I wish I could read the comic but I got the message from the pictures

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  11. intriguing thanks for it man :D

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  12. I think these recreation days would be a bad idea in the States as well

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  13. Well the UK is quite similar to that. But you really seem to be exaggerating xD

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  14. I guess I need to move to Finland :)

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  15. Sounds like the cliques exist everywhere.. wow

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  16. Yeah I need a drink. Come check me out, alphabetalife.blogspot.com

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  17. thanks for the perspective, reminds me that people, no matter how far away and what country there from, still goof off in similar ways.

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  18. A friend of mine works at an ad agency in Toronto, Canada, and they get "Beer Fridays" where they stock the fridge and have drinks on Friday afternoons. Most people are responsible, but apparently some get right out of control!

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  19. I don't think I've ever been in a situation like these.
    I just have a bunch of older ladies who I work with that just can't stop themselves from telling me about their husbands disgusting habits. Like I care or something..

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  20. hmmm what would a job be like with nothing but recreational days...
    ... I wish I had recreational days ...
    Although I can see how they would suck. I guess if you have the right mindset, you can make anything suck, though.

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  21. Ah, but I think that it's not just the Finnish, but the whole world who gets stupid once they take in alcohol.

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  22. I wish my work had recreational days. . .complete with alcohol!

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  23. cliques, its like we never got past high school

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  24. I dont think its just the Finnish that act like that when drunk , its just in human nature

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  25. I definitely agree with the Cliques part! I see it all the time.

    Thanks for sharing :)

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  26. Have not seen you post a new blog for a long time, I hope you did not lose your job HA!

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