Where have you gone for work-related retreats? I was at one in Wrightsville Beach this weekend. Felt a little odd to be at the beach in December, but it got up to 76 degrees so I can't complain. Significant others were welcome too. The wife of one of my coworkers talked about her retreats which seemed to be a lot wilder and more expensive.

It got me wondering about others work retreats specifically, and about spousal involvement in work-related events in general like holiday parties and other events. What have your experiences been like?

12/9/2012 4:49:37 PM

we're too busy doing real work to have time for frivolous bullshit like that

12/9/2012 4:52:17 PM

We do day trips (paintball, go carts, etc...)

12/9/2012 4:55:28 PM

morale is below the threshold of salvage

12/9/2012 5:03:01 PM

^^^ This.

12/9/2012 5:11:52 PM

Okay, what about holiday parties or other employer-orchestrated get-togethers?

My old job before grad school always had a big yearly Thanksgiving party. They'd shut down operations for 4 hours during the workday, and get together for a big meal on site and they'd have a lot of prize drawings too. If I recall correctly during my last year there I won a grill, ipod shuffle, and more pizza hut gift cards than I knew what to do with.

The owner would also host an annual Christmas party at her house. One of my coworkers managed to spill so much salad and dressing on one of the spouses there, who promptly cleaned up and left in a huff in the middle of everything. I believe they've also done events at a lake nearby. I've heard they've started doing employee picnics at a park in the area too.

12/9/2012 5:31:20 PM

we're not allowed to spend company funds on parties/get-togethers/functions of any sort

[Edited on December 9, 2012 at 5:46 PM. Reason : and i'm not about to pay to hang out with work folks]

12/9/2012 5:45:31 PM

^ This.

You guys must work for some pansy touchy-feely places.

12/9/2012 5:56:39 PM

Quote :

"We do day trips (paintball, go carts, etc...)"

Sounds fun. Over this weekend I've heard of 2 different places that have had fairs set up for their employees. Like bringing the rides, food, etc to them.

12/9/2012 5:58:43 PM

We do a thanksgiving potluck lunch and they throw a huge holiday party for each employee plus a guest

They also give us a turkey, poinsettia, and easter lily each year (if we're talking holidays)

Then each department plans their own team building get-togethers

12/9/2012 6:05:26 PM

salaried employees are meeting at a bar on Dec 15, kinda have to go

12/9/2012 6:06:47 PM

we've gone to a Durham Bulls day game, whitewater center in Charlotte, corn maze, and countless potlucks and cookouts

12/9/2012 6:10:37 PM

My place of employment attempts to do these things but there's generally poor turn out or reception. Many people don't want to hang out with co-workers, or certain cliques of co-workers outside of work. Or at work, even.

12/9/2012 6:12:11 PM

^^^^^ we do the same thing, we have fall fest and families come and there are rides for kids

12/9/2012 6:23:18 PM

We have the following:

"Prom" one weekend around valentines day. All salaried staff, buffet food, and open bar for about 4 hours.
Family day for all employees on site, fair rides, music, fireworks, picnic and fair food.
Thanksgiving turkeys for all employees
Christmas partys similar to item 1, but split into two based on if you work engineering or manufacturing.

12/9/2012 7:14:26 PM

My company industry would rather burn their assets than spend a dime on their employees.

12/9/2012 7:19:55 PM

12/9/2012 7:26:09 PM

We don't really have company retreats. In my old facility, they would have an annual Employee Appreciation Day where employees could bring their families in to see the projects we worked on, enjoy some food, ride the rides, and see fireworks.
In my current facility, sometimes the managers will take their departments out to lunch. Usually, we will have a potluck lunch sometime between thanksgiving and christmas.

I think that in the defense industry, at least among the big companies, the lavish spending is somewhat frowned up these days. That didn't used to be the case, but now it is in the era of budget hawks, etc.... it just doesn't look good.

I had a coworker that went to another smaller defense company though, and he was telling me that they have an annual retreat in Costa Rica. Must be nice.

12/9/2012 7:27:23 PM

Savannah
El Centro
Iraq
Yuma
Qatar
Kuwait
Iraq again
Afghanistan
Key West

12/9/2012 7:29:26 PM

Company retreat. By the way, if you happen to see a terrorist, shoot them in the face. Otherwise, enjoy.

12/9/2012 7:35:08 PM

Oh damn I forgot we do family nights at the Durham Bulls & Carolina Hurricane games

12/9/2012 7:37:46 PM