Happy hour is ditching alcohol for sweating together

"Mascena, a Gen Xer from Rhode Island, works remotely as a franchise launch director for a company that helps franchisees get their businesses off the ground. While her firm is fully dispersed, they're also very social. Over the past year, however, the hangout culture has shifted from late-night drinks to early-morning workouts like Pilates and yoga. In the mornings, colleagues often meet up at 6 o'clock to run or walk a three-mile loop."

"Those loops draw workers across "all different positions in the company - from directors to VPs to administrative support out there," Mascena said. It's an opportunity for "walking and talking and connecting in a way that's just different than happy hour." It's one sign of how coworker bonding is changing as folks are drinking less, in-person schedules are more variable with the rise of hybrid work, and work friendships are flailing."

"The downfall of after-work drinks doesn't mean socializing is dead. Instead, some workers are getting creative: Think rage rooms, pickleball, saunas, and intense workouts. In a more wellness-minded America - and one where folks might want to optimize their post-work time - there's a focus on ways to boost endorphins other than the best beer deal. This shift might also mean forging deeper relationships along the way."

Colleagues previously gathered for end-of-day drinks labeled "lobby social club" have shifted toward morning workouts such as Pilates, yoga, and group runs. Remote and hybrid firms now host 6 a.m. three-mile loops that bring together employees from directors to administrative support and facilitate walking conversations that differ from happy hour. Reduced drinking, variable in-person schedules, and fraying work friendships are driving creative alternatives like rage rooms, pickleball, saunas, and intense exercise. Employers have introduced onsite trainers and classes to boost wellness and incentivize staff. These wellness-focused activities can boost endorphins and may foster deeper workplace relationships.

Read at Business Insider