The unintended consequence of all the free meals, happy hours and activities that employers provide can mean employees' social life may revolve around work.
The Wall Street Journal's work/life consultant, Sue Shellenbarger, says that's tough on romantic partners. Some workers bring partners to company events and introduce them to their co-workers. Partners might like a few such outings, but rarely enjoy the constant work talk. Partners may even be seen by others as interfering during these work-related functions.
The resulting tensions on marriages and relationships can be more difficult to resolve than disputes over long work hours.
About 21 percent of employers offer on-site fitness centers, 22 percent provide drinks and snacks, and 48 percent offer community-service volunteer programs, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Managers.
In her work as a career coach, Shellenbarger advises clients to pay attention to the impact of job-related social programs on spouses and partners. She advises turning down events that risk damaging off-work bonds.
Stay-at-home moms and spouses who work from home, can become jealous of the constant social life involved with their spouse's work. After all, the at-home spouse might be dying to get out of the house.
