Getting along with your colleagues is crucial in order to create a productive workplace environment. So what do you do when you cross certain lines that might make interactions at work awkward, like having an orgy with your coworkers after a team-building exercise?
“What started out as a fun way to get to know folks in the department ended up with my boss being taken from behind by an intern while all of HR went down on another,” says one employee. “Now, how am I supposed to get through the day knowing Jim can do that thing with his tongue?”
What can you do to ease any lingering awkwardness from a department-wide afternoon of group sex?
First, try to feel out the vibe of the office the next time everyone is gathered together. Do your colleagues seem to be having a hard time making eye contact? Is there a sense of shame pervading staff meetings and elevators rides? Or does the team feel energized and connected in a way that it wasn’t before?
Next, schedule a meeting to talk about what happened. Thinking back to your department pre-orgy, were you a group who liked to work things out meticulously, or did you prefer to start from an agenda and briefly touch on items without further discussion? If it’s the latter, and it seems like people are not excited and inspired by what happened, simply add the “event” as a line item on the agenda at any meeting. You can simply state that it happened, and that all team-building exercises from this point forward will not contain a sexual component.
If it seems like everyone really enjoyed experimenting sexually with one another, call a meeting to debrief about what happened, and if it is something that should be done regularly to keep the team connected, and inspire future innovation in the company. Make sure to give everyone a chance to talk about their experience, if they have any goals for the next team-building exercise or preferences on location, or if they have feedback to improve performance in the boardroom, and in the boardroom while having an orgy.
As with any relationship, communication is key. And as there is an expectation that you will be effective at work, it’s important to not let accidental departmental group sex get in the way of productivity. So, the next time a back-to-back drawing exercise becomes a circle jerk, know that it doesn’t have to lead to awkwardness at the company picnic.
