• Peter Bateman
    272
    It's Friday, so it must be time to look forward to knocking off at 4pm and having Friday drinks.
    Right?
    Except ... does your organisation still allow alcohol to be consumed on its premises?
    This thought comes to mind after reading this piece in yesterday's Guardian.
    Are drinks at work dying out? Or are they still firmly entrenched?
  • Andrew
    405
    No. Not since the police riot squad had to come and settle things down.
  • robyn moses
    62
    No not in the 12 years I have worked here, I think what Andrew said above happened here some years prior and that thanfully was the end of that.
  • Steve Schroder
    20
    less and less common on sites.
    more common on in smaller compainies now, rather than the big ones.
  • Stephen Small
    59
    We effectively went 'site dry' during Covid - however we still have company off-site functions where responsible drinking is OK.
  • Aaron Marshall
    118
    HELL YES!!! I'd quit if Friday drinks were stopped at work.

    But, I'm self-employed.....


    And work from home.....
  • Stuart Oakey
    47
    This came up in conversation today, and I'm keen to find out what the risk management approach is for companies that are sales orientated? Are sales staff permitted to drink at a lunch meeting? Do you set a limit i.e. 2 standard drinks?
  • KeithH
    173
    At the risk of offending, why is it necessary to drink alcohol in a workplace?
    Interesting Google search

    BTW - is the next step to permit selected drug use?

    Just my 2 cents worth
  • Stuart Oakey
    47
    Hi Keith, no offence taken. It is a good question though.

    It's my first time dealing with sales environments where a couple of drinks seems to be the norm over a business lunch.
  • Aaron Marshall
    118
    We already do permit 'selected drug use'. Caffeine, Nicotine, prescription drugs (within limits). It's just a case of where do you draw the line. Currently, when it comes to alcohol, different companies draw the line on different sides.
    Companies I have worked for have generally allowed it, however, they kept a close eye on it, however, the culture within the company was not one of accepting excessive consumption. They didn't hesitate to send someone home if they turned up for work hungover.

    And I guess the core of it is; what is the company culture? Do you have employees who will hang around until midnight and drink everything they can? Or are they the type of people who will have 1 or two, eat a bit and then go home?

    With regards to why it is necessary - it isn't necessary at all, but that's no reason to ban it. I think sometimes that workplaces are becoming about only doing what is necessary, and anything that doesn't directly relate to work that may invite a small amount of risk gets cancelled.
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