You don't have to be 'fun' at work, but it's good for your career

Participating in contrived 'fun' is part of fitting in with workplace culture.

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE WED, NOV 30, 2022 This week's newsletter was written by Ryan Ermey, a senior reporter covering money and investing for CNBC Make It. You can follow him on Twitter @RyanErmey.  On Sunday, a Washington Post headline seemed to herald a small victory for office employees everywhere: "French man wins right to not be 'fun' at work."   Slackers of the world, unite! No longer will we have to show up and smile for what our bosses call "fun" and what the rest of us call "mandatory."   Naturally, the story is a bit more complicated than that. Our Gallic hero didn't simply refuse to attend the holiday cookie swap in the conference room. He was fired for failing to go along with coworkers who operated the office like a frat house, complete with hard drinking, mock sexual acts and crude nicknames.   With that context, it's no surprise the courts ruled he had a "fundamental freedom" to sit out such social events. But WaPo's headline raises an interesting question: How "fun" do you actually have to be in the workplace? The answer will vary from office to office. And for job seekers, determining where you fit in will require some introspection.    "The important thing to consider when looking for a job is what kind of work environment you want and prefer," says Toni Frana, career services manager at FlexJobs. "For some people, fun is part of the answer."   It's important to gauge the level of fun you'll be expected to deal with during the application process by asking your hiring managers or current employees about company culture, career experts say. Are there social events? If so, what kind? Do employees get together after hours? Is participation expected?   Even if you've found a company whose culture you like, you may find yourself rolling your eyes at an invitation to another 2 p.m. ugly sweater party. Depending on what you want out of your job, it could be wise to RSVP anyway.    "If you're looking to stay and get promoted and contribute to that organization for the long term, you need to fit into the culture," says Stacie Haller, a career expert at ResumeBuilder. "If none of that is important and your job is more transactional, you may feel more comfortable not participating."   In other words, if you eventually want a promotion, you may have to occasionally put on the sweater. Come on, it'll be fun!   Register now for the free CNBC Make It: Your Money virtual event on Dec. 13! It will give you actionable ideas to level up your earning power. From making the most of that side hustle, to generating passive income, to learning how to negotiate like a boss, find out how you can earn more, while possibly working less.   What do you want to see from the Make It video team? Take this survey to share your thoughts. Trending articles from CNBC Make It Billionaire Elon Musk prefers caffeine-free Diet Coke over the original—here's why Is your partner a gaslighter? 3 red flags to watch out for This surprisingly common virtual interview mistake can cost you the job, according to new research Warren Buffett and Bill Gates both have the iconic McGold Card—now's your chance to win one Dr. Jha: The U.S. is ready to 'move on' from Covid—but only if people 'keep their immunity up to date' Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Digital Products Join the CNBC Panel Feedback Terms of Service Privacy Policy   © 2021 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBC Universal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS