I've been in my 'new' job 2 years now but still don't feel part of the team. There seems to be a lot that goes on both within work and gossip wise that I don't know about. I'm part time which probably doesn't help but there are two other part timers who have been there longer and seem to be a lot more involved.
The team are nice enough people and I get invited on work socials and things like that but inevitably end up coming home feeling rubbish because I feel like a spare part. There are some big characters and definite 'favourites' within the team who are clearly all loved and thought very highly of.
In work there are a lot of 'meetings' that I'm not part of that take place behind closed doors. I just feel unimportant. I was thinking of the task in traitors where they had to vote for the most irrelevant person and if that was within my work it would definitely be me!
I've told myself it doesn't matter, I'm there to do a job and all of this is just silly playground popularity shit that shouldn't matter. I guess I'm wondering if I just stop going out with them socially and protect myself or if that will make me feel worse.
In my old job I was firmly part of the team and had some close friends. It's just not like that here and as much as I expected it to begin with, two years on it just makes me feel rubbish. Have to reiterate they are not unpleasant people, they are actually really nice! Maybe it's me who just doesn't fit in.