Socialization Outside the Work Environment

Abstract

COVID-19 is on the verge of becoming endemic, creating havoc in the workplace. This anthropological study aims to collect data on employees’ informal social interactions outside of work hours to influence government legislation. The fundamental goal of this research is to ascertain the demographic makeup of the individuals, their personality types, their frequency of assembling, and the factors that attract them to this neighbourhood restaurant. One objective is to establish ethnography as a branch of the humanities concerned with studying how people conduct their everyday lives. Another objective is to research and understand the social environments in which workers interact. This research is quantitative, using semi-structured interviews and direct observations. The first interview is conducted with five respondents: three young white men, one girl, and an elderly guy of Asian ancestry. Two Asian ladies in their early thirties were interviewed in the second interview. The observations are made on Tuesday and Friday nights at the Great Wall of China, a well-known local Chinese restaurant. I assert in this study that informal socialization is important because it enables employees to build a sense of self outside of work. This research proposes that these emotional responses become an integral part of an employee’s daily routine to boost productivity.

Introduction

The possibility that COVID-19 may become endemic means that the pandemic will not end with eradicating the virus but with establishing a new normal. Current trends indicate an increased likelihood that sickness will profoundly affect people’s natural behaviour (Hunter 2020). This anthropological research is designed to elicit information on workers’ informal socializing outside of work hours to influence government laws. Given that humans are primarily social creatures, it is critical to examine interpersonal interactions and linkages to understand organizational and community cultures better. This study aims to evaluate employees’ informal interactions outside of work hours, using the famed local Chinese restaurant Great Wall of China as a target environment.

Aim and Objectives

The primary aim of this research is to ascertain the demographic makeup of the individuals, their personality types, the frequency with which they assemble, and what draws them to this neighbourhood eatery. Such insights might help develop regulations on pandemic control that directly affect people’s social behaviour. One objective is to apply the concepts of ethnography as a subfield of the humanities concerned with studying how people conduct their everyday lives. Another aim of this observational approach is to comprehend the context in which customers, in this example, workers, would utilize another thing and its meaning. As with human experts, I shall use conventional and unique examination techniques to familiarize myself with logical and philosophical issues.

Research Questions

The observational portion of the research was designed to elicit responses to a series of questions posed during the planning stage. Several particular topics were discussed, including, but not limited to:

1. Do guys communicate only with their male counterparts?
2. Do workers come alone, in pairs, or in groups?
3. Do female workers share only with their female colleagues?
4. Are interactions between male and female workers mixed?
5. Are these workers at ease?
6. Would they sit or stand as they mingle?
7. Do they just come in to socialize order meals and beverages?
8. Do they leave the restaurant at the end of the evening individually, in groups, or all at once?

Ethical Considerations

The study’s key ethical principles are beneficence, nonmaleficence, loyalty, and trust in the fiduciary-participant relationship. Additionally, this research complies with ethical standards governing autonomy, free, informed decision-making, and the protection of personally identifiable information. The participants are told of the study’s principal objective and are kept informed of the study’s progress and findings. These ethical concerns are addressed by the regulatory structure that governs human subjects research.

Literature Review

The ethnography was motivated by the importance of informal corporate culture, particularly during the worldwide epidemic. Studies have shown that in-person meetings are the most successful technique for certain companies influencing individuals and their choices (Church & Conger 2018). According to the Harvard Business Review, Covid-19 has impacted corporate culture since many businesses now operate in a hybrid environment (Hinds & Elliot, 2021). As a result, observing workers’ relationships outside of work is even more exciting and beneficial, as many will be working from home. Such information would help engage legislators to develop social control intervention in case of an endemic COVID-19 virus.

The nature of human motivation is also an essential aspect of an ethnographical application in business environments. There is a connection between informal culture within institutions and effective corporate social responsibility (Keerthanaa & Suresh, 2018). Team connection is critical in conversational interactions, especially during a pandemic. Studies have shown correlations between improved work motivation and informal relationships outside work environments. There is almost certainly a correlation between everyday corporate culture and business, as demonstrated by this study’s findings.

Methodology

This research adopts a quantitative study involving semi-structured interviews and direct observations. The first interview engages five responders, including three young white men, one female, and an elderly guy of Asian ancestry between 26 and 42 years old. The second interview involved two Asian girls in their early 30s. The observations are made in the renowned local Chinese restaurants, the Great Wall of China, on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Summary of Observation Conducted on 1/18/2022

I got to the restaurant at around 5:30 PM, intending to be on time and settle down before this skilled personnel came. I noted that some entered in pairs while others entered alone. These staff seemed relaxed as they entered the eatery. Additionally, I noticed that most of the restaurant’s staff work at Shepherd Cre, LLC, a local firm. Employees looked to be at ease during round-table conversations. A calm work environment may alleviate employee stress and increase staff health and morale. I saw and overheard their talks, mostly focused on business and non-business matters. The field notes for the observation are presented in Appendix B.

First Interview Summary

In this section, I performed two semi-structured interviews for this research in the Chinese restaurant ‘Great Wall of China.’ The restaurant is situated in the city’s commercial district and is frequented by corporate personnel after hours. I had prepared several pre-interview questions (Appendix A). The first responders included three young white men, one female, and an elderly man of Asian ancestry who were 26, 27, 28, 38, and 42 years old, respectively. All five interviewers are coworkers at local information technology and real estate firms. The younger staff members are junior data analysts, while the older guy is the development lead.

Regarding the topic, I approached the group, said that I was doing ethnographic research, and asked if they would be interested in participating in an interview concerning corporate culture. I made a conscious effort not to impose the discourse but to convey my interest courteously and to garner their attention. As a result, I obtained informed agreement from respondents, protecting their anonymity and confidentiality, which is critical when conducting semi-structured interviews (Kirner & Mills, 2020). Due to the easy-going and happy mood, the formalities of the process were somewhat hampered, but I assured them that their identities and the company’s title would not be exposed in the research.

Additionally, I attempted to exclude any prejudice from my questions to elicit candid responses and perspectives. I seldom took notes and chose not to use audio or video recordings to acclimate participants (Kirner & Mills, 2020). Finally, I employed nonverbal cues, active listening, and echo methods to facilitate a natural flow of dialogue (Kirner & Mills, 2020). The interview was fruitful and subjectively based on the preset standard during project design. I removed any possible bias and its most detrimental implications, including response effects, expectation, deference, and social desirability.

According to the preliminary inquiries in Appendix A, I learned that the company’s corporate culture is usually pleasant and trustworthy. Workers commonly spend time together outside of work hours. Additionally, it was discovered that most workers are male, and they spend most of their time together; nonetheless, they claimed no gender bias, which is why female employees were invited. Additionally, the behaviour revealed varying degrees of ‘friendliness’ among the workers. Still, the questioned group is relatively calm and easy-going, and the group identified socializing as the primary goal of after-hours engagement. They often exit the restaurant in unison.

Second Interview Summary

The second survey was conducted on Friday and included two Asian women in their early 30s who requested anonymity. They both work at a local shop and do similar duties. Both staff members were kind but hesitant and inhibited while chatting with me. They said their major objective was to eat, downplaying the relevance of socializing or drinking. I conducted the chat, in the same manner I did during the original interview. I took care to get informed consent, to begin with, a thorough introductory question, and to encourage the dialogue with suitable probing techniques.

Additionally, unlike the prior interview, I did not use audio or video recordings to acclimatize the respondents. The interview lasted around fifteen minutes since I did not want to contribute to the group’s tension. With a dialogue with previous respondents lasting around 40 minutes and a normal suggestion of 30 to 2 hours for semi-structured interviews, the interview was rather unsuccessful (Kirner & Mills, 2020). Nonetheless, I gleaned useful information from the workers, including that the firm’s gender ratio is around 50/50. There were no signs of racism, gender discrimination, or other types of workplace harassment. Additionally, employees showed slight discomfort addressing the matter. They often came to the restaurant to order meals and then departed together.

Findings and Discussion

As previously stated, observations were done on two days every week – Tuesdays and Fridays. On those days, several groups of workers were seen at the restaurant, remaining for an average of an hour to three hours. The study concentrated on three workers who visited the restaurant every Friday and alternated Tuesday to maintain consistency. While more groupings were mentioned, they received less information. Throughout the research, it was seen that Friday groups stayed longer, felt more at ease with one another, ordered more wine and food, and lasted longer. By contrast, Tuesday groups were more likely to remain and order less food and drinks for a shorter period.

Additionally, it was shown that groups with greater communication amongst mixed-sex workers looked to be more comfortable and remained longer. On the other hand, in groups divided into male and female encounters, female workers often left the restaurant sooner than male employees. The longer-staying parties sat around a table, but the shorter meetings were often performed standing at the bar. The groups that looked to be more at ease with one another tended to depart in groups or pairs, mostly at the same time as the rest.

Analysis

The following coding has been developed as a result of the observations and patterns within five conversations defined as general patterns:

• MMC – Male-Male Conversation
• FFC – Female-Female Conversation
• MFC – Male-Female Conversations Behavioral Patterns During Conversations
• RLXCNV – Relaxed Conversation (Easy-going and friendly conversations)
• AGTTCNV – Agitated Conversation (Employees argue or act anxious)
• MNTCNV – Monotonous Conversation (Employees appear tired, bored, or uninterested)

The coding is inductive since the purpose of the study was to analyze behavioural patterns, and the following results were developed and found throughout the analysis. This has enabled a naive approach to observation and a more expansive understanding of the various behavioural features of workers in an informal setting. Due to the frequency with which occurrences occurred and were discovered, inductive coding was used to facilitate data collecting.

While the main purpose of the research was an observation, some implications may be taken from the employees’ interactions. According to studies, individuals’ dialogue may reflect whether they are seen as insiders or outsiders (Bruskin 2018). The inclusion of different personnel in informal social contexts improves both the individual and the company, increasing motivation. Consequently, both planned and unplanned social meetings outside of work contribute to the organization’s overall corporate culture and boost employee loyalty.

Additionally, I saw that most employees stood while chatting and sat alone when eating. On the other hand, professionals liked to drink in small groups comprised of persons from many ethnic backgrounds. It was unusual to come across a gathering of persons of the same ethnic origin. The teams in this scenario were similar in that they comprised men and women from various ethnic backgrounds and age groups. Socializing was informal due to the freelancing notion of exchanging knowledge across numerous businesses and abilities. After interviewing many members, the researcher determined that at least 89 per cent of users came in to converse and buy a beverage. The method is mostly used to unwind after a hard day of activities.

Apart from socializing, staff saw the Chinese restaurant as a vital after-hours gathering spot. After exchanging nighttime recollections, it was clear that each individual departed the café alone and frequently in the early evening hours. A significant proportion of respondents felt it was essential to get home early to prepare for the next workday. On Fridays, however, it was different since the majority spent the whole night drinking and departed in the early hours of Saturday morning. Despite their differences, the counterparts displayed a commitment to maximizing social capital. Organizations’ engagement significantly contributes to self-awareness and networking necessary for proper growth and development.

Conclusions

This research notes that socialization outside the work environment significantly contributes to personal growth. This study also observes that people do various tasks, and, unsurprisingly, their job affects them. Employees’ communication increases as they better understand themselves outside the workplace, and emotional responses are vital for their employment. Throughout my observation, I saw how different the staff structure is and how these workers use social gatherings as a therapeutic incentive. Noteworthy, executive teams seem to establish strategies that improve such connections. However, the essential difficulty in establishing effective linkages that increase worker performance and productivity. The interaction between employees at a Chinese restaurant demonstrates the importance of cultural variety and understanding when balancing professionalism and independence.

Recommendations for Further Research

Additional research is essential to expand the demographics and extend the study before reaching general conclusions about what informal corporate culture means for business. Numerous deductions might and have been drawn from the observations. As previously stated, various tendencies were seen during the observations. While this study observed the subjects without directly talking with them, this might be an intriguing addition to future research. As stated in the introduction, the study’s purpose has been accomplished, and the results may be extended to a broader field of anthropology.

References

Bruskin, S. (2019). Insider or outsider? Exploring the fluidity of the roles through social identity theory. Journal of Organizational Ethnography, 8(2). 2-101.

Church, A. H. & Conger J. A. (2018). When you start a new job, pay attention to these 5 aspects of company culture. Harvard Business Review. 8(2), 7-75. Web.

Hinds, P. & Elliot, B. (2021). WFH doesn’t have to dilute your corporate culture. Harvard Business Review. 1(2), 1-71. Web.

Hunter, P. (2020). The spread of the COVID‐19 coronavirus: Health agencies worldwide prepare for the seemingly inevitability of the COVID‐19 coronavirus becoming endemic. EMBO Reports, 21(4), e50334.

Kirner, K., & Mills, 1. (2020). Introduction to ethnographic research: A guide for anthropology. SAGE Publications. 8(2), 2-71.

Keerthanaa, P., & Suresh, M. (2018). Informal learning in workplace: A case of caregivers. Int J Eng Technol (UAE), 7(2.33), 791-795.

Appendix A

Examples of Open Questions for Semi-Structured Interviews

1. How often do you come to the place (where the interview is happening), and do you generally come in groups?
2. When you spend time together after work hours, do you usually converse with colleagues of the same gender?
3. What can you tell me about the corporate culture in your company?
4. Do you feel relaxed, or is there tension in social interaction?
5. What is the goal of informal meetings after work hours?
6. Do you want to understand your colleagues better or simply relax after the workday?

Appendix B

Field Notes

• Date: 1/18/2022 Tuesday
• Time: from 5:30 pm to around 7:00 pm
• Place: The Great Wall of China Restaurant

The restaurant was relatively lively, with guests spending their time chatting and eating food. When I came in, first thing noticeable about the restaurant was the décor. Combining traditional Chinese ornaments with a more simple, modern feel, it created a sense of comfort and familiarity. Visually, the reds, whites and blacks of the design served to further its aesthetic appeal while also inviting considerable excitement. The smell coming from all corners of the restaurant was pleasant, and the music made for a relaxing atmosphere to be in.

The process of taking notes of the site felt somewhat uncomfortable, but I was able to keep my feelings under control. After coming into the restaurant, I had to wait for at least 20 minutes before employees of nearby companies started coming in for food. Those coming in pairs or groups were casual, their walking interspersed with casual conversation and jokes. People coming in alone, on the other hand, mostly went in with a sense of purpose and a clear desire to get a meal. I have spent considerable time listening to conversations, which ranged in the variety of topics depending on the group. In the process, I also took some notes regarding their conversations, separating discussions into business and non-business related categories. Purposely listening other’s conversations was slightly embarrassing. The food seemed to be a common theme of discussion, with some groups spending significant time on talking about cuisine.

Field Notes Summary

What was the first impression of the location?

The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant, inviting familiarity and relaxation. Music served as a tool to get guests in the right mood. The food seemed to be a large part of the appeal, since many customers were discussing it.

What was my personal disposition and how did it affect the observation process?

While I was nervous, I was able to take notes and observe the actions of the people around me. Taking notes and finding what is important to write down turned out to be more difficult than I thought. However, by focusing on my sensory impressions and simple facts of the observation, I was able to jot down some necessary information.

How did the people coming into the restaurant from work behave?

After working hours, many employees of nearby companies came, some being alone and some being in groups. Most seemed somewhat tired and eager to relax. Their appearance was accompanied by either friendly conversation of silence depending on the size of the group. A wide range of topics, including both business and non-business matters were discussed.