Why office holiday party invites cause stress, anxiety

How happy is happy hour?

We’ve all heard that socializing outside of work — from dinner plans to holiday parties — can build stronger, and friendlier, relationships between co-workers. Hanging out with your colleagues outside of work can lead to better well-being and reduced fatigue .

But a recent study published in Personnel Psychology sheds light on how focusing on just the positives of co-worker socializing might lead to a skewed understanding of the workplace. As the researchers point out, "employees may or may not want to socialize with their coworkers after work, but must confront this decision when social activity invitations arise."

The research, led by scholars including Indiana University Indianapolis professor Emily C. Poulton , found that invitations for after-work soc