To not want to go on company away day to build rafts

[Mascarponeandwine]

Just that really. It’s held off site, in the grounds of a Manor House. You are divided into groups of 7 or so, and given tasks to complete, such as survival skills, go carting, gladiator type duals or building a raft sort of thing. Does anyone actually enjoy these things, or are most of my colleagues secretly disliking it too. AIBU to bow out by booking leave? Or am I not being a team player?

I think the idea is that you bond over how little any of you want to be there.

I went on a godawful one once where you had to share tents overnight after doing all those activities. At least there’s not that!

Sounds fucking awful. I'd have a prior engagement. But then again I'm not the most sociable person

Book the leave!

The cool kids bond through sarcasm, pithy wit and unadulterated hatred of the ones who are taking this all too seriously (usually management). The geeky ones usually think it's all bollocks, but entertain themselves through finding the most efficient way to ensure the Sales Director ends up slaughtered within the first thirty seconds of paintball (even if they're on 'his team') or upended in a muddy stream. The 'girly' ones complain about the mud damaging their new suede Uggs and/or their manicures. And there's lots of alcohol and cigarettes consumed on the quiet.

It's a fairly accurate microcosm of a school trip. Except you're generally old enough to have bought the bottles of vodka and Sterling Menthols legally on the way there.

These sorts of awaydays are the pits. Went on one once where we had to erect a tent with half the team being blindfolded and the other half only able to give instructions.

Expensive waste of money. Why do companies do this???

I love stuff like that, really. I work in the public sector, so we’ve had no funds for team builds for 10 years, bu I became a Cub leader and do it with kids anyway! I would object to sharing accommodation - tent or otherwise - with my colleagues, although I have to problem with a tent per se.

Oh come on. I think these things are quite a laugh. You get paid to do it!!

Book leave.

The one and only time someone expected me to attend one of these affairs, I told them I was planning to have a cold or cholera or something.

I love stuff like this, I'd be delighted if we did this instead of another team lunch.

I would have loved a day away from the chalkface larking about, sounds great fun! The private sector do seem to take these things a lot more seriously though.

I love this stuff but I'm a big child really. I don't expect other people to enjoy it!

We're getting drunk on our staff day.

@Haggisfish only half the day is paid as I am part time. So would have to do half the day for free (though could get the time off another day). Would also cost me in childcare as wouldn’t be able to pick ds up from school.

These problems are not insurmountable though. It’s just I’d prefer to prioritise my unpaid time off over survival skills or whatever.

Make out you can't wait for it, are really looking forward but don't go over the top.
Then go sick with a nasty case of the galloping hatpins 👍

I have a couple of suggestions

a) a subsequent engagement
b) the withering shits

but I really really like shieldmaiden 's Nasty Case of The Galloping Hatpins :o

One of the benefits of working in the public sector is there is no budget for this type of crap.

The last away day I went to was an afternoon in one of our meeting rooms, but in a different building. Team building was one of those lame 'interesting facts about you that no one knows'' questionnaire, and we had to take our own drinks and biscuits.

It was shit and boring, but at least we didn't have to build anything.

I love this shit

I've been on at least 4 team building events that have involved building rafts. Hate them, and I still can't build a raft! I always end up cold and wet.
On one of these events we were split into teams and my team for some reason only had 4 people in it compared to the other teams which all had at least 6 people in them. One task was to work as a team to pass your team members through a rope spider's web. You had to pass through as many holes as you could without touching the rope. In our team of 4 we had a chap in a wheelchair. Not quite sure how they envisaged us passing through the holes which were 6 foot high. We attempted as many of the lower holes we could and then agreed, as a team, that we had done as many as we could. We were criticised for giving up and not finishing.

I was eternally grateful that I managed to get out of one that involved abseiling and zip wire when I was 8 months pregnant, although I did have to book a day of holiday for that day.

Oh come on. I think these things are quite a laugh. You get paid to do it!!

There's not enough money in the world to convince me to suffer through this nonsense.

YANBU OP. I'd take annual leave.

Most people do not need go-karting and gladiator duals or other such wank to be members of a team. My response to such an invitation would be. Fuck. No.

@MitziK absolutely spot on!

I'd rather call in dead.

This is one of the advantages of working in a university which doesn't allow you to leave campus for your awayday lest your department spends money that doesn't go straight back into the university coffers. I'm shuddering in horror at the story about having to share tents with colleagues.