Thread: Drinks after work

I use to give the workers at work a few free drinks afterwork on a Friday at times, Saying it is there responsibility, etc to do the right thing; this was at a pub not at work, at times, I paid for the first few drinks etc. I have just been informed this is discriminatory to other staff who cannot attend for various reasons. Hang on it is my money, it is after workinghours, it is a blanket invitation to all staff, yet I am doing the wrong thing.

There's always the person(s) who sees an injustice when others may be getting some benefit which they are missing out on for whatever reason...

I don't know what business you're in, or the gender balance of the staff, or the number of employees... but at the end of the day, you pay them to do a job and rightly expect them all to give their best while on the job.

Now here's the tricky bit: shouting a couple of rounds of drinks at the pub after work on a Friday is a good way to unwind, share ideas and encourage camaraderie. Hopefully then, on Monday, people turn up to work motivated etc etc . EXCEPT there are a few who feel left out because the group who went to the pub can appear to be more cohesive because they "get the jokes", and it's a bore having to repeat the funny stuff to those who weren't there...

So, your good intent as the "leader" is being undermined by unintended consequences.

By promoting the benefits of a social hour after work on a Friday, you may be setting in place a "them and us" culture in the workforce... there may be good reasons for people not attending... they rely on their job to support their kids, they need both partners working, they're juggling homelife ,work, debt etc etc... but deep down, what they're possibly complaining about is not so much about missing out on a couple of free drinks, but rather, the opportunity to be part of 'the group'...

I spent many years advising companies large and small on these and similar issues and I've never yet found/seen/heard the magic answer...except the smaller the business the more difficult it is.

You could invite the person(s) who complained to share their concerns with you. Remember, don't be defensive...be a listener! It may be, that depending on who it is and what they've got to say, opens up a deeper issue affecting the work group which you are not aware of. You might ask them what they could suggest to achieve the same positive outcomes (mentioned above) bearing in mind that you will not have drinks on the premises ( legal liabillity issues), affordabiility (it's not an open cheque book situation) and that it has to be an activity which all employees have reasonable chance of attending. If they can't offer a reasonable alternative then ask them what precludes them from attending at least occasionally?

What I'm advising is to get them to "own" their reasons for not attending and not just shout 'discrimination' expecting someone else to solve it. At the same time, tread carefully and see if there's more to it before you "shut any doors" ...good luck

Agony Aunt (I mean Uncle!)