Corporate asks entire team of 30 employees to share their Spotify Wrapped for team-building: '[This is] so emblematic of something I dislike about work culture'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 18, 2024 2:00 PM EST

The music people choose to listen to in order to get through the workday is a private decision. It's not meant to be publicized for all your employers and coworkers to see. No one needs to know how much you listen to Taylor Swift or the Wicked soundtrack. 

Unfortunately for this Redditor, he and his team of 30 or so coworkers were asked to share their Spotify Wrapped screenshots with the whole team as part of a team-building exercise. This would be an immediate no for me. If I want to share that information with the people I work with, then I will on my own volition and on an individual level. No one wants to feel like a basic listener in the minds of every team member. As many folks in the comments section suggest, this is a seemingly harmless yet perfect example of how corporate "family" workplace culture is wildly problematic.

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions. For more stories like this, here is another post about newly hired employees who quit their jobs almost immediately.

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  • 01
    Faylor's Version)
    via Sebastiaan Chia

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Entire team made to submit their 'Spotify wrapped' screenshots for a team-building exercise
    via halentecks
  • 03
    Why do workplaces always insist on prying into employees private lives?
    via halentecks
  • 04
    My entire work team (30 people approx) have been asked to submit screenshots of their spotify/streaming equivalent wrapped, showing their most listened to music and podcasts for the year, with no clear way of opting out given the game depends on everyone submitting theirs.
    via halentecks
  • 05
    I'm aware this is fairly minor compared to some of what gets posted on this sub but it just strikes me as so emblematic of something I dislike about work culture.
    via halentecks
  • 06
    People feel differently about the subject but I view someone's Spotify wrapped as actually fairly personal information. Feel free to call me out for overreacting. Ok,
    via halentecks
  • 07
    it's not exactly their medical records, but it also kinda is. Imagine a situation where someone has been struggling with a physical/mental health issue over the last year that they would rather not disclose to 30
    via halentecks
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    colleagues (strangers) and has been listening to a podcast related to that. What if someone just has unorthodox tastes that they'd rather not share with all of their managers and colleagues.
    via halentecks
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    I just wish modern corporate environments could at least have the decency to treat employees as what they are workers, rather - than cosplaying as intimate friends.
    via halentecks
  • 10
    Deep-Money73... 4h ago I agree, it's invasive. Just say that you do not have Spotify.
    via halentecks
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    Phoebebee323 · 4h ago Photoshop one and put Weird Al in every spot and then make it say you listened for 525601 minutes
    via halentecks
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    Commercial_To... 4h ago What, miss out on creating an account filled with nothing but Speed Metal, Polka tunes, and Mongolian Throat-singing? This is a prime opportunity to game the system, man.
    via halentecks
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    NumbSurprise · 4h ago "Sorry, I don't use Spotify." Or just do a quick google. search and submit some random screenshot.
    via halentecks
  • 14
    darlin133 4h ago . The assumption that everyone streams is silly. Sorry work boss I don't have streaming I can't participate I thx bai
    via halentecks
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    alexanderpas . 3h ago • Ask HR how the process of reimbursement for a spotify subscription works, and when they ask why, explain what is asked from you, and you're now asking how reimbursement works, since it's clearly a business expense if it's required from you.
    via halentecks
  • 16
    iamdadmin 3h ago • "Sorry, I can't take part. I don't get paid enough for a luxury item like a Spotify subscription."
    via halentecks
  • 17
    arrowtron • 3h ago Photoshop a list of boring "Corporate Skills" podcast. Make it sound like you're working even when you're not. Get promoted. Be in charge of these team building exercises next year. Cancel this stupid game. Profit.
    via halentecks
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    Jazzkidscoins 4h ago. • William Shatner had a talk show, probably more than 10 years ago now. One of the things he asked his guests to bring their iPods so he could look at their music library. He said looking at their music library was looking at one of the most intimate parts of a person.
    via halentecks
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    xenedra0 4h ago Music is very personal to me, so this would be a very hard no. So hard, I'd be in HR's office saying
    via halentecks
  • 20
    Debasque 4h ago "No." • ...is a compete sentence.
    via halentecks

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