I was thinking about something the other day – last year's office gift exchange really wasn’t something I was looking forward to, at least not as much as I did the previous years. This was probably due to the fact that I realized I kind of got used to the whole idea, seeing as it became more of a routine than a wild party full of surprises like it was originally supposed to be.
So, in an optimistic attempt to make the topic interesting to myself again, I scoured through the Internet, read dozens upon dozens of articles and after some time realized that there are many things that I have never even bothered to pay attention to. Small factors that really make a difference, but haven’t been that obvious before, like when you realize that breathing is an automatic process and then take a minute to appreciate your lungs for doing an awesome job. Inspired by those articles, I decided to summarize all the cool things that make office exchanges as amazing as they actually are.
That's really depressing once you take a minute to think about it. After all, as a friend of mine once put it, there’s only one thing in the world that’s worse than working for a company that has lots of “extra” activities like Christmas parties, gift exchanges and other gatherings and that’s working for a company that doesn’t.
Imagine working for a company that expects you to work every single day without giving you the opportunity to hang out and socialize with your colleagues in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Team building events, in general, help you connect with the people you work with and give an ‘organic’ feel to your work environment. Throwing a party around the holidays used to be a fixed standard, but nowadays, there are many companies that feel it is unnecessary.
Hint: it’s not.
Who knew that Alfred from Human Resources has an incredible sense of humor that focuses on jokes about squirrels? Who would’ve guessed that Samantha from Accounting knows how to walk on her arms while whistling the national anthem? And how in god’s name were you supposed to be aware that Dick from the Technical Office is actually the state’s champion in sword juggling?
This is just an example of the crazy and interesting stuff you can learn about the people who you share your workplace with. You never know what incredible things people can do with their free time and unless you get the chance to inquire about them, you’ll never find out.
Apart from the general things you can learn about the people you meet during these events (what they do in their free time, what they like eating, what kind of music they listen to, how many lemons they put in their lemon pie), you might actually get to like some of those people.
I’m not saying you have to invite them over for dinner the same moment you meet them, but if you manage to casually break the ice, you might end up having lunch with someone you’ve never really talked to before. What’s more, they may end up being perfect for you and you may end up with a new friend or maybe even a best friend. Maybe you even find a potential significant other, who knows?
4. It’s healthy competition
And not only healthy but also low-pressure. Let’s face it – unless you’re one of the 0.01% people that are blessed with perfect work conditions, you’re bound to face some interoffice rivalries and personality clashes from time to time. This doesn’t necessarily have to involve open arguments, fights and throwing axes at each other, but the tension is present.
Having a low-key competition such as this helps resolve some of those rivalries and can contribute to a better work environment. When you’re participating in a competition and the main rewards are Twix bars, toilet mugs and naughty calendars, it kind of throws the whole “conflict” idea into a whirlpool of positive energy, which is something every office needs.
Let’s not forget that the game is all about gifting and receiving, eventually finishing the game with something cute, funny or even useful. Of course, this is the official definition, while in reality, we all love seeing the look on our colleagues' faces when they unwrap their gifts thinking they got that golden watch they had their eyes set on, only to end up with a plunger that has the words “I love you” engraved on the handle. The value of those reactions cannot be measured by any known means, but it is far more valuable than anything you can receive.
6. You are actually going to have fun
Unless you’re grumpier than Grinch himself, there’s actually a very good chance that you’ll have tons of fun. It might take a few gag gifts getting opened, a couple of squirrel jokes by Alfred from the HR department or maybe one or two (or fifteen) eggnogs, but it is bound to happen eventually. Let go of those scrooge-ish feelings now and they won’t put a damper later on.
I guess that about covers it. Next time you think that you shouldn’t go to your office gift exchange, you might want to take a look at this short list – there might be something on it that will change your mind.
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