Office Politics 101

[John]

My company is over the top with the touchy feely, corporate kool-aid, team-player, brainwashing crap. If any company on the planet would put team event participation into review (even unspoken or subconsciously) it would be this company. It doesnt happen. They are completely separate. And shit, "Relationships" are a company core value. (see? kool-aid...)
At Accenture, I saw more pressure to schmooze it up with the management, and hence at happy hours, etc, but it still really didnt make an impact as to if you were actually at the events or not, just the impressions you made on people.
Dont connect relationship building with happy hours and company picnics. It can happen there, but doesnt have to.

I see the difference being the office conducting social activities rather than the company sponsoring it. Far from brainwashing, rather as a fun activity for the team to have some fun together without talking about work. There's very little to deal with management since it's an office activity and instead it builds very strong relationships. The result? Zero voluntary attrition and us being the primary source of transfer-in requests. It's a win-win situation for employees and it creates a strong advocacy group for how the rest of the company should conduct operations.