Are you someone who does not like parties or social events? You may have to socialize with your colleagues outside of work hours. Whether it is a coffee break or a significant social event, it can be hard to say no, even if it isn’t mandatory. There is always a feeling of guilt for missing these events and even feeling left out. This feeling is even more pronounced if you work for a company that values socializing.
But what do you do if you genuinely want to escape these social events or have a conflict with their schedule? What should you do if there’s an unexpected event that you have to do, like an emergency? Can you ditch these work events without causing an issue in your workplace and team?
Ditching Work Social Events
Whatever your company’s stance regarding these work events, it may feel like you are missing opportunities to build strong relationships with your team if you fail to attend them. It may be your only chance to meet the rest of your team or speak to them outside of your projects. Sometimes, it might be the only time they will turn off their work mode and be themselves.
However, you shouldn’t feel this way regardless of what you think you are losing by missing these meetings or events.
Dragging yourself to these events that don’t catch your interest can be very exhausting and won’t produce the results people are hoping for. During these events, you will be hard to speak to and cooperating during these events is far from your mind. People will only become irritated with your presence, and they may feel like you do not like their presence. Once you are back in the workplace, it will be awkward between you and your colleagues.
If you’re content with your work, your team values your contributions, and you enjoy what you do, it’s perfectly fine to skip social events. Your team knows you’re there for them during important projects, even if you only join them occasionally outside of work. You have the right to decide whether or not to socialize with your colleagues. After all, you know yourself best, and you know whether these events will contribute to your growth or not.
You can build strong relationships with your colleagues without attending every social event. Your commitment to supporting the team through your projects and discussions is a powerful way to connect with them. A job well done on your part of the project is also a great conversation starter. You don’t have to attend every event to be a valued member of the team.
Most companies understand and respect their employees’ personal lives and preferences. They won’t force you to attend team events, especially if your reasons for not attending are due to family or personal commitments. There will be plenty of other opportunities for you to bond with the rest of the team in the future. If an event is mandatory and you can’t attend, the company will work with you to find a solution for the next event.
Getting out of Work Social Events with Grace
Now that you know it is okay to ditch certain work-social events, you must understand how to do it properly.
It is challenging to overcome peer pressure once your team hears you will ditch an event. You must respond correctly to avoid being forced to attend these social events even if you don’t want to, and it will be harder to escape the next ones.
While some of your colleagues may understand your reasoning, there will be those who will pester you endlessly. But you must remember that you can still maintain a strong relationship with them even if you need to decline to attend these events or not attend them.
Down below are some tips on how you can ditch these work-social events with grace:
1. Don’t Make Things Personal
If you want to accept the invitation gracefully, it is best not to make it personal and let them know why you can’t join. For example, you can say there’s a conflict in your schedule, and you’ll try to be there in the next one. Remember to explain why you can’t attend, like a family emergency or a prior commitment.
2. Be Honest
The social event they invite you to join is something you are not keen on doing. This will let your colleagues know what activities you are not okay with and take note of it next time.
3. Decline Politely
Remember, you have the right to decline invitations that don’t align with your personal preferences or schedule. You don’t need to provide a detailed explanation when rejecting invitations. Simply decline politely and thank them for the invitation. If your colleagues respect your boundaries, they will accept your response and move on. They will also take note of your response for future events.
Work social events help employees get to know each other outside their projects. However, most of these events are not mandatory, so it should be okay to ditch them regardless of what people may say. Your colleagues should not guilt trip you if you can’t attend these events. So long as your job is correct and you support the team during each project, it should be fine whether you attend these events or not. It is also important to remember that you are not paid to attend these events. Should you need to attend them, you will let them know.
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