In defence of post-work drinks

During these warmer months, I’ve spent sufficient evenings in Central London, and on my travels around major cities including Manchester and Birmingham, to suggest that the ritual of post-work drinks continues to play a meaningful role for many people.

One of the things I missed most when switching from an office-based role to home-based self-employment many years ago was the loss of after-work drinks with colleagues. It was an opportunity to dissect the day and continue the work-related chat but in a more relaxed environment, and it also played a somewhat therapeutic role in providing a platform to work through any issues. 

It was also an opportunity to often spend some out-of-the-office time with more senior colleagues who might be tempted to spend a brief bit of time – and possibly buy a round of drinks – with junior members of the team before heading home and leaving the rest of the evening to the youngsters.

Despite my anecdotal evidence of a continuation of post-work drinks in UK towns and cities, it seems that it might be on its last legs, according to the Work Foundation think tank, which has undertaken research with the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). They believe the rise of remote working and the increasing level of non-drinking by Generation Z employees is sounding the death-knell for an after-work activity that I reckon has provided much social value to many people over the years. Well, I guess they would say that, wouldn’t they!

Against this backdrop, the Work Foundation is encouraging employers to move away from alcohol-centred socialising and instead adopt more inclusive and healthy workplace cultures. This could include rebranding events from “drinks” to “socialising”, offering non-alcoholic beverages and scheduling gatherings during work hours to accommodate employees with various responsibilities.

What seems to have been overlooked by the Work Foundation is that the vast majority of the post-work drinks activity that takes place is nothing to do with companies, but is predominantly down to the employees gathering under their own steam in their own time and paying out of their own pockets. 

But even when we are talking of a company organised post-work event, I’m seriously doubtful that for all but the most Neanderthal-minded companies, the environment created would be one that simply does not involve the enforced drinking of alcohol. This would be inexcusable today, and surely must only be the domain of a very small minority of backward-looking organisations managed by older executives.

Even the Work Foundation suggests that 73% of senior business leaders are managing a workforce that spans four generations, each with different expectations about health and well-being. To think that the younger generation would be put upon by heavy drinking old-school managers seems rather fanciful to me. Generation Z quite rightly expect – and should demand it where it does not exist – a more inclusive and positive work culture.

The Work Foundation and IARD have valid points to make and are clearly working towards a brighter future in the workplace, but to target the post-work drink as a way to leverage their messaging seems a tad misplaced. It has a potentially negative knock-on effect for the hospitality sector that is doing so much positive work on creating inclusive environments.

For the vast majority of people, post-work drinks continues to represent a pleasurable extension to the working day and provides an opportunity to release the pressures that often build-up in the work environment. 

Clearly there are examples of where this can fall over into unhealthy practices, just as alcohol consumption can be a problem in many other scenarios, but the post-work drinks of today are undoubtedly no longer wholly predicated on the consumption of alcohol (excessive or otherwise) as they were in days gone by when we watched The Sweeney.

This is very much reflected in the offerings across the modern-day hospitality industry that have become much more inclusive environments. The expansion of non-alcoholic drinks continues apace, food is now a given across the landscape, and the growth of experience-led propositions and theme bars further moves things on from being solely about alcohol. Some think tanks should maybe think about this.

Glynn Davis, editor of Beer Insider 

This piece was originally published on Propel Info where Glynn Davis writes a regular Friday opinion piece. Beer Insider would like to thank Propel for allowing the reproduction of this column.