jckfla (7/29/2015)
Certainly a person coming to work at a company that refuses to engage with others in any way outside of work can be a problem. We need to get along with each other as social creatures, and be able to hold a conversation with each other that might not involve work. However I'm not sure that anyone expects every other employee to have, discuss, and participate in the same interests as the manager or even a group of people.
Personally, I think requiring or expecting an employee to engage socially outside of the workplace at all as a part of employment is a bit...stepford.
Given, requiring an employee to become buddies/friends/pals/mates/co-dependent on their fellow co-workers and expecting them to "get along" are two very different things.
I also think it is discriminatory and illegal. First, my time is just that, mine! I choose to spend it with my family. My kids are far more important than anything a co-worker might be interested in socially. There are exceptions of course, I am friends with co-workers who place their family above work. One event I choose to participate in is the company picnic, because kids are involved. I attend Christmas parties as well, but these frequently aren't handled appropriately - just because I am a Christian doesn't mean every one of my co-workers are, and yet they are expected to attend?
I know plenty of people who have fit in socially at work. The most social do the least work. The rest of us have to pull their workload.
Dave