Alcohol at work

It was only a few years ago that French gendarmes were forbidden to take alcohol at lunchtime. On BBC TV in the 70s police were often shown drinking on duty in The Sweeney.

Whoops, Zombie thread alert.

Yes. I worked in a publishing company where the owner opened a bottle of bubbly (or several) every Friday afternoon for his editorial team. Later I worked in advertising and media, where birthdays were celebrated at 4pm in the office with a glass of wine and cake or similar. One of the advertising accounts was with a major drinks company and we. would have cases of alcohol delivered as samples and left in the kitchens for people to take home.

I most recently worked for a small voluntary organisation where news of successful grant bids, birthdays, Christmas etc involved a glass of wine and nibbles on the premises in working hours. There were a few people who had an issue with alcohol and drank too much, but they were few and far between and they were the kind to get pissed in the pub at lunchtime anyway.

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I've always worked in offices where we had a drink if we've completed a big job but never drinking during the working day. I temped at one office over Christmas and I was offered a glass of Drambuie with coffee on arrival at 9.00a.m.

I worked for a brewery in their HQ, I asked and was given permission to bring champagne to the office to celebrate my 50th, usually a "dry" zone. Also celebrated 60th with champagne in a different office, next year I'm 70 not sure if the GP surgery I work at now will allow booze on site!!

As did I when in the public sector, and very jolly they were too!

Germanshepherdsmum

None taken volver! But when the public sector is given taxpayers’ money to carry out its statutory functions, and struggles to fulfil its duties, the money shouldn’t be spent on staff jollies.

We always paid for our own jollies!

Staff jollies in the public sector? Ha ha. Doesn’t happen.

No bonuses either....nada. Yet what would we all do without the public sector, who would clean our streets, public toilets, collect our rubbish, look after our sick, educate and protect our children, catch the criminals, fight the fires, man the libraries, empty our rubbish etc etc.
Trouble is though so important to oil the wheels of society, there is no value given because unless it’s sold off, none of this provides a profit. It’s not meant to, it’s about service, but some only see value in that which makes money.

None taken volver! But when the public sector is given taxpayers’ money to carry out its statutory functions, and struggles to fulfil its duties, the money shouldn’t be spent on staff jollies.

I am surprised about the drinking culture in silicone valley. When I worked for a big American company, even having an unopened bottle of alcohol your shopping bag was, theoretically a sacking offence.

i worked for a number of big companies over my career and alcohol was rarely served in the office, not only not with working lunches, but even when meetings involved a proper lunch served in the official entertaining suite.

I suspect in the wider Civil Service, alcohol is rarely seen in offices. But No 10 is a different kettle of fish where, I suspect the drinking culture is set by the Prime Minister and his ministerial bag carriers.

In the 90s we had a wine club once a month after school had finished. It consisted of a group of women teachers having a blether and one glass of wine. We would unwind and tell some stories. It was a nice way to see colleagues in a different light. That stopped though as there was a total ban on alcohol in the school at any time. Even adult only events were forbidden to bring any. No-one minded. It was sensible.

Germanshepherdsmum

Yes, I think it’s a nice token of appreciation in the private sector even if it’s offset for tax purposes. In the public sector we had to club together for our Christmas lunch which I think was right rather than using taxpayers’ money.

Sorry GSM but that's the most tory post I'll see all day. ?

Please don't take offence, none is meant.

No, I used to work in a hospital. I know it is a sack able offence though.

Yes, I think it’s a nice token of appreciation in the private sector even if it’s offset for tax purposes. In the public sector we had to club together for our Christmas lunch which I think was right rather than using taxpayers’ money.

in my previous job, we had a Christmas dinner every year, all food and drinks paid for by management.

Probably a tax deduction for the business - but nice for us nevertheless.

I do object to taxpayers’ money being spent on jollies. In the private sector it comes out of the bosses’ pockets, though may in certain circumstances be claimed as an expense against tax.

geekesse

The public school culture that many of these folks grew up with may play a part. Once in 6th form, most social events at the end of the school day, offer alcohol. A leavers’ afternoon tea, for example, at 3.30 pm includes cava, though soft drinks are available. If you get the impression that booze at work at the end of the day is normal, even desirable, you’ll carry that into your own working life.

My son was at public school and he would have loved that but it didn't happen. At the Sports' Annual Dinner Dance, the over 18's were allowed to buy alcohol as the function was off school premises. Photos were taken and put on Facebook so from then on, the event was cancelled and had to be held on school premises with no alcohol.
Parents would be offered a glass of fizzy at social events but the pupils, even if they were over 18, were not.

Yes on Xmas Eve years ago. I was working as an agency temp 10am - 2pm for a large city council. I turned on the computer and was told to turn it off and come to the Xmas party in a large office along the corridor. It was decorated for Xmas and had sandwiches cakes and many bottles of wine. Left there at 1pm feeling quite drunk. OH picked me up and we drove to see a play we had tickets for. Fell asleep in the play so didn't see any of it.

Over 40 years working generally in public service, and any alcohol drunk was after work at own expense.
At Christmas we may have a meal in a pub, again at our own expense. Never had a bonus or a free ‘jolly’ of any kind.

The public school culture that many of these folks grew up with may play a part. Once in 6th form, most social events at the end of the school day, offer alcohol. A leavers’ afternoon tea, for example, at 3.30 pm includes cava, though soft drinks are available. If you get the impression that booze at work at the end of the day is normal, even desirable, you’ll carry that into your own working life.

Allsorts

I am truly shocked at all the drinking at work, how on earth did the job get done. Worked all my life in a few different organisation but never came across it myself thankfully, if I had the job would have been short lived.

It wasn't an every day occurrence in the Civil Service, usually drinking en masse was linked to Christmas, Leaving Do's, etc. However, we were wined and dined by people at lunch time when they had won business from us; I worked for the Official Receiver's Office so estates could be lucrative. We had no say in who got the business as it was the Creditors who voted the private company in. The Private firms did poach staff though.

It was a different age and nowadays would be considered completely wrong. We didn't come back from these lunches completely pickled. It was just a glass of wine (or two) or a pint. We were still fit to drive therefore we were probably cognitively fine.

I am truly shocked at all the drinking at work, how on earth did the job get done. Worked all my life in a few different organisation but never came across it myself thankfully, if I had the job would have been short lived.

A couple of Xmas parties held after hours.

First one was just starting when I left for the day. Was in the next day for some Saturday overtime for an urgent job. The room where the party had been held was trashed and we were told to clean it up. Several of us who had not been at the party refused and were not popular!!

The next year they had another party on the premises. Apparently someone had vomited over the floor and some of the men had got into a fight- there were suspensions and a dismissal for that.

And no more parties in the office.