These days, many company events are mandatory and, notes the New York Times’ Alex Williams, they can get highly competitive when employees use them as opportunities to perform in front of managers.

Williams sat down with Kai Ryssdal to discuss his recent reporting on the evolution of the company outing.

At a recent LinkedIn retreat, for example, workers were woken with a frantic knock on their hotel room doors.

“You get pulled into a ritualized search and rescue mission for a missing skiier,” Williams said. “You had to use GPS and avalanche monitors and that sort of thing.”

That night, employees’ performances were evaluated over dinner and wine.