How the pandemic has been a real a buzz kill for office happy hour bonding, culture

As Chris Howard, founder of Ethos Recovery, a sober living facility and mentoring program in Los Angeles, pointed out, an innocent drink after work could lead to serious problems — particularly as more of us have turned to drinking to distract ourselves from the pandemic. “I don’t think having an occasional drink at the end of the day with your co-workers is a bad thing. With that said, I personally worked with individuals that had no substance abuse issues prior to the pandemic who needed to enter substance abuse treatment because their strategy to manage their mental health became the bottle,” he said, adding that he’s seen a major increase in people using drugs and alcohol during the pandemic and believes the trend will only continue as employees move back to the office.

Employers have an important role to play. “Understanding that reacclimating to a regular work/home life balance and everyday social dynamics can help organizations formulate a plan for how to reintegrate healthier lifestyle choices,” Howard explained. He proposed that creating a work culture centered around drinking to promote healthy socializing is “a bit of an oxymoron, to say the least. Social dynamics tend to elicit anxiety for many people, even in the most trivial situations, and I don’t think promoting drinking is an effective coping strategy for people coming out of a pandemic.”

Then there is the issue of employer liability. Drinking and the workplace “has always been a minefield for employers, and the pandemic certainly has opened up new avenues of liability, including the super-spreader happy hour,” said Mark Kluger of Kluger Healey, an employment law firm based in Lincroft, New Jersey. “People are eager for social interaction and to be back in the office, and it’s natural for employers to want to rebuild the team and team spirit,” he acknowledged, but he proposed that employers consider alternatives to happy hours, holiday parties and other events where alcohol is on the menu — like bowling or hatchet throwing.

Even companies that are carrying on the tradition of happy hour are setting their limits. Take the New Orleans-based digital marketing agency Online Optimism, which instituted a summer cocktail series featuring local bartenders coming to the office to teach staff how to make drinks around themes like Tiki Night and Mardi Gras. During the first hour, cocktails are served — with a strict two-drink limit per employee. The second hour is game time — to ensure people are safe to drive home. Virgin cocktails are available to those who choose not to consume alcohol.

The agency’s operations coordinator Sara Bandurian suggested that such events, when properly managed, remain a good way for staffers to “connect, relax and destress from the workday.” As the shop, whose clients include the New Orleans Downtown Development District and Xavier University, has onboarded several new employees during the pandemic, these gatherings have become a valuable way to engage with them, she added.

Even as employers reevaluate cocktail culture, the alcoholic beverage industry itself is urging a cautious approach, doubling down on campaigns in recent years urging consumers to enjoy responsibly.

For one, Moët Hennessy, maker of Belvedere and Glenmorangie, whose vp of emerging brands Allison Varone noted that the company’s marketing messages have pivoted to encourage “mindful indulgence” as coworkers begin to come back together and socialize. As Varone put it, “We want our consumers to enjoy each other’s company, reenter society responsibly and safely, and create new, meaningful moments with premium cocktails in hand.”