This series explores my relationship with alcohol and the impact it has had on my career and personal life. Like many Americans, I responsibly enjoyed alcohol in professional and social settings. But something changed, and it all started with a lie I told myself. Along the way I told myself many lies to excuse or justify my behavior. Though I didn’t recognize them at the time, I see them all too clearly now. Maybe you will too.
LIE: We can’t get rid of alcohol at work events
“There is no way you will ever get rid of alcohol at corporate events and dinners.”
“Alcohol is used responsibly by adults for the most part. Companies will not support penalizing their employees for the personal choice they have the right to make.”
“We need alcohol at work events to entertain clients and recruits. It’s essential for our success.”
I hear these types of comments a lot. I certainly see where they are coming from. If I believed I could control alcohol and be responsible with it, I would likely feel the same way. But only if I was unwilling to consider the overwhelming facts that support and highlight why it is so risky for a company to pay for alcohol.
“We can’t get rid of alcohol at work events.” This was the fourth lie I told myself. We actually can if we are willing to see the risk in the context of a corporation paying for it on company time. Corporate America has a track record of making tough choices for health reasons in the past. We’ve eliminated sugary drinks in office vending machines. We’ve created gyms at work, or reimbursed for gym memberships, to promote physical activity. We’ve offered healthier options in corporate cafeterias. We offer resources for mental health services. Yet, companies still pay for alcohol at work events which potentially undermines all of the other investments they’ve made because excessive alcohol use impacts so many facets of physical and mental health.
Think of it this way. Not long ago, smoking was widely accepted at virtually every company. We never would’ve imagined a time it wouldn’t be accepted at work. But as we learned more about the health risks, we phased smoking out of the workplace. Of course, people can still choose to smoke on their own time—just not at the office. Employees are healthier and more productive. It’s worked out pretty well for everyone. Can you imagine going back to allowing smoking in the office? Let’s take it one step further. Can you imagine the company reimbursing employees for a cigarette expense like they currently do with alcohol?
Some of the most incredibly impactful and enjoyable bonding times I have had with teammates were at nonalcohol events. Three stand out. One, was an effort to build bicycles for children in need. We could almost visualize the joy of the children that had no idea these bikes were being made for them at that very moment. Another, was a leadership program that we did as a team. It was an obstacle course that we had to get through. We weren’t exactly Ninja Warriors on the course. But, we had so much fun putting sweat in, leveraging each other’s skills and working through physical challenges. A third, was a mountain bike adventure in the Arizona dessert. We had such an incredible time of getting to know each other, seeing the sites, getting out and getting the blood pumping. In all of these cases, zero alcohol existed, and the results were moments I remember fondly all these years later.
Conversely, when I think back on all the corporate subsidized alcohol events, they are all just a blur. None stand out as being anything of value. I remember moments for sure. Many of those moments I wish I could forget. It does make me think, what would my experiences had been if alcohol wasn’t served and instead other approaches like my three fond experiences were included. How much more would I have grown and bonded with my peers? How much more productive would I have been the follow morning at every meeting. How many terminated employees would still be contributing members of the company’s accomplishments?
Looking back, it really would be unfortunate if we could not get rid of alcohol in the work context. I think of how limiting it is. We think we need it. Yet, high performing activities are never performed intoxicated. Intoxicated employees never produce high performances. What if our drunken events were team building, bicycle building and mountain biking, etc. instead? I think we can do that. I think we can get rid of alcohol in the work context.
Alcohol is a thief. In 2014, I was promoted to the highest position I’d ever held in corporate life. In 2015, a lay off left me without work. By February 2017, the party was over. I was homeless and penniless in the middle of winter in Western New York.
My story is extreme. It’s highly unlikely that you will face such a grave circumstance. But my treacherous journey continued with one of many lies: We can’t get rid of alcohol at work events. In fact, we can. It is possible. Over time, it will likely even be preferable. If you just take another look at the option, I believe you will see this as a wise approach to running a business.
I HAVE QUESTIONS AND YOU SHOULD TOO:
Could you attend an event that served alcohol and not have a drink?
Would you still drink if you knew rising stars in your organization didn’t want to drink and only did because you did?
If you are drinking at a business event with your colleagues and another colleague chooses not to do you feel differently about that person?
If you would rather not drink at a corporate event and others around you are drinking freely if not excessively, do you feel comfortable?
Have you ever attended a corporate event or business function where alcohol is served and done something you later regret and would have never done without alcohol?
Have you ever seen somebody have a career limiting move at a company event because of alcohol?
Would the sales team in your organization be upset if alcohol was no longer paid for by your organization? If they would be, why?
When someone blames and alcohol environment for causing an issue, do you automatically think of many reasons why that isn’t true? Why is a beverage so important to you? Is it because it is far more powerful than just being a beverage?
Is it possible alcohol is dangerous in the work context?
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