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 remember with fondness building a raft, paddling across to the Swallows and Amazons Wild Cat Island, spending the night there, then in the morning stealing the team leader's bivouac, erecting it on our raft as a sail, and sailing back at high speed leaving him far behind us. But that had two big differences from a team-building exercise - 1) I wanted to be there 2) none of my work colleagues were there.

I hate these things but it turns out that I build a mean raft.

We had one where, after all the macho cargo nets and pot-holing bollocks were finally finished, we had to dress up in random costumes and write a play about work. So there was a Richard III, a penguin, a cowboy, Bungle the bear etc performing a self-penned opus about accountancy.

And it was videoed so somewhere there is potential blackmail material at large.

We had one where, after all the macho cargo nets and pot-holing bollocks were finally finished, we had to dress up in random costumes and write a play about work. So there was a Richard III, a penguin, a cowboy, Bungle the bear etc performing a self-penned opus about accountancy.

Who's your employer? The Marquis de Sade?

I actually run these for a living, so do it most weeks

Wish my work did this sounds amazing

I shall miss these now I've given up paid work. We had to write and perform a play embodying the company's ethos and achievements last year. I thought it was fun but I wouldn't expect everyone to like them.
We weren't allowed to book annual leave after the dates were announced.

@madcatladyforever

I'd rather call in dead.
I wish I'd thought if that in the past!

I’m not sure which wins the thread
Calling in dead or nasty case of galloping hatpins 😂

OP seriously this shouldn’t cost you, I once offered to stay in the office to field calls but also pointed out that the travel to their so called team day would cost me extra. My then boss knew it meant “let me off this or I’ll resign”.

Wow, what a great way to out people with medical problems and non-visible disabilities.

Oh fuck, I would be booking leave directly.

Shitting hell no, WTF?
And yes also, "I'm afraid I won't be able to attend, I died last Tuesday"

I used to love this shit.

Oh God, OP, I feel your pain! Fake your own death/abduction by aliens?

Thank goodness for a female dominated team with a training budget of about £50 a year for all of us. Five years ago we had to have a whipround to book a room big enough for us to sit and have lunch together. Since then our team building consists of just bursting out laughing as yet more budget cuts go through. Quite effective.

I actually run these for a living, so do it most weeks 

Why?! What did those poor people ever do to you?

I used to mostly hate these. Only ones I remember enjoying was the one were we got to stay in a hotel in Paris and I could take DH for the weekend so I had company.

Also one were we had to design paper aeroplanes. I was the only female and there were about 40 computer tech guys who spent ages getting exact angles on their planes. Then we had to fly them and mine flew the second furthest, no idea why

Thank all the gods that I work in the public sector and that my manager hates enforced get togethers with colleagues.

I did used to work somewhere in the public sector that budgeted for an away day for each department with the proviso that it was to visit somewhere that would improve knowledge of your area of expertise. We blew it on Ryanair tickets to Dublin to visit our Irish opposite numbers. Great time was had by all. Hic.

I like the call in dead idea.

Seriously though, why do companies try to impose this shit on their staff? How the fuck is it beneficial to or representative of what you might need to do in the office?

Thankfully my employer isn't so ridiculous. I can work as part of our small team perfectly well without needing to go and abseil down a sheer cliff face or build useless rafts out in the arse end of nowhere.

Take holiday if necessary.

Why should you attend unpaid, even if for half a day? If the company wants you on a full WORK day, they pay.

Is it wrong that when you said gladiator fights my mind went right to this, the Ancient Rome way of doing things? Bonding with the rest of accounts as Steve from HR lies bloodied at your feet? The mighty duel of upper management free for alling, last one standing gets the pay rise.

Penguins I had one in Paris too, that was the only one I enjoyed. No rafts in sight. It was part conference part team networking, meant to be cheaper than London even with travel. Unfortunately senior managers blew the budget on French wine, so no more events in Paris.

I used to try and be event photographer so could get out of actually doing the activities, but still be part of it, so show some team spirit.

Interestingly I encourage DS to go on school residentials, scout camps etc which involve similar activities, saying it would be good for him. I am such a hypocrite

Doesn't sound that bad, our team 'away' days are volunteering. And by that I mean gardening. It's always fecking gardening. Except last year when they went to an animal sanctuary while I was on maternity and spent time looking after dogs and cats. But no, now I'm back it's more bloody gardening. Laying slabs in an area we've been advised is overrun with nettles and mosquitoes.

Thank fuck it's optional - no thanks!

yanbu the world is made up of two types of people: those who think secret Santa and away days are a GOOD THING and those who know they are nothing but time wasting shite designed to be enjoyed by the Heathers from the film "The Heathers".

Though I quite like the sound of a gladiatorial dual: I could eviscerate a Heather or two using my plastic sword.

TBH I love the sound of that. Though I can't swim so I would need lots of reassurances that I wouldn't be out of my depth.

I once worked for a company that did this sort of thing once a year. It started with inspirational speeches (oh hum), the we were bussed out to a lovely country pub for a pretty good barbeque, then we were assigned in to teams, no say in which team this was pre- drained (hmm), and then there was a sort of treasure hunt. On our team there were two of us immediately in to this (yeah computer programmers) and the rest couldn't care less they just wanted to sit under a tree and drink. As a team building exercise I am not sure it worked but personally I enjoyed it.