Corporate America's next assignment: Save happy hour
Corporate America is increasingly replacing the traditional after-work happy hour with structured team-bonding events like workouts and workshops. While some employees appreciate the organized social opportunities, others feel these events lack the spontaneity and personal choice of informal gatherings.
Why it matters
The shift reflects broader changes in workplace culture driven by hybrid work models and rising costs, impacting how professional relationships are formed.
As the traditional happy hour fades, companies are investing in team-bonding events. Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI The traditional happy hour is on the decline due to high prices and changing social habits. Companies are taking an active role in planning team-bonding events like barbecues and workouts. For some employees, company events don't live up to spontaneous, informal gatherings with coworkers. Sagar Risal has found plenty to like about company-sponsored social events. They've helped him open up to coworkers, meet people outside his immediate team, and celebrate shared successes, said Risal, a 25-year-old who works in financial technology in New York City. But they still feel different from spontaneously grabbing drinks with a few colleagues after work. "At a non-company-sponsored event, it's usually with coworkers that you choose to hang out with," Risal told Business Insider. "With work events, it's the entire company that's there."
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