We’re living in a cost-of-living nightmare. The seas are storming like never before. Donald Trump is having tariff tantrums and causing the Australian and US stock markets to swing.
Anyone need a drink?
While it might feel like the world needs a collective drink, things are far more sobering because drinking has become slightly out of date with more and more Aussies putting down the glass, especially in corporate circles.
Older generations are aficionados of fine wines, connoisseurs of premium whiskey and proud but dejected fans of mid-strength Aussie beers. And while many do still indulge depending on the industry, many young people are employing restraint and nursing a single drink or opting for zero alcohol options like HeapsNormal to create the appearance of participation at knock-off drinks.
Because drinking your way up the corporate ladder is a thing of the past.
Regular alcohol consumption has been institutionalised into our lives and even encouraged in some ways. It’s a rite of passage and carries through to the workplace as a bonding ritual, morale booster and stress reliever. In China, binge drinking is used to finalise business deals. Potential business partners get drunk together to become friends, so they can trust each other not to harm the other person’s professional interests.
Alcohol used to bring people together at work. Well, perhaps not like the gratuitous chocolate cake that gets handed out on your birthday. But now there’s a growing movement towards mindful drinking, and temporary abstinence is reshaping social scenes, particularly among young professionals.
Happy hour used to mean drinks after work. Now, young people have reclaimed happy hour as a way to meet before work and have a coffee after a workout.
This shift is fueled by a focus on wellness. More people are choosing to leave bars early so that they can wake up for a morning run. Whoop watches have replaced the famous G-shock, and fitness rings have slid by mood rings. But it’s not just about fitness. It’s about doing something meaningful.
But it’s a far shift from what the norm used to be, which was drinking your way up the ladder. Which wasn’t great because it created a barrier for employees who prioritise their personal lives or simply weren’t big drinkers. It disproportionately affected working parents, caregivers, individuals with familial responsibilities, or pretty much anyone who wouldn’t drink.
Some experts say this move is long overdue and raises the question: does alcohol have a place at work, and should it? In this blog, we’ll look at why there’s pressure to drink at work, companies that are pushing to ‘rethink the drink’ and what HR teams can do to subsidise cravings and socially fuel employees instead.
Research from 2019 in Norway found that when employers or supervisors initiate drinking, employees feel obligated to participate.
Of course, peer pressure and drinking are no strangers, but when it comes to the workplace, the research found that co-workers were second to friendship groups as the main source of peer pressure to drink. Meaning family and partners are less likely to encourage drinking than co-workers.
But now things are changing. Young people are “pretending to drink” by pouring HeapsNormal and soda and lemon into a glass tumbler to pass for a gin & tonic. It’s a clever way to blend in without succumbing to peer pressure.
But some HR managers have a problem with it, as they should. Either employees have to conform and drink, something they don’t want to do; or do an irish goodbye and potentially risk professional development by leaving early. Thankfully, younger employees aren’t subscribing to that and are driving a culture away from drinking.
Large organisations are also pushing the change.
Salesforce banned office drinking almost a decade ago. Uber had to do something about their toxic “bro culture” and instituted a similar ban during working hours, and reduced the budget for alcohol at bars.
It’s a recent part of a broader recognition of health and safety issues that have helped chip away at that traditional workplace drinking culture. But the great part is that young people are catching up, and bringing the culture to work.
Conversations about sobriety and struggles with alcohol have also become less taboo. More and more people are getting involved in things like Dry July and Sober October. And among younger generations, particularly, there’s more willingness to experiment with cutting down alcohol consumption and trying sobriety, in their personal and professional lives.
Some HR teams have seized on the opportunity to engage with different experiences and are doing things like mini-golf and axe-throwing.
People are still happy to drink at organisation events like parties and corporate getaways, they’re just opting for something a little different informally. Still, the move away from grog is taking place.
Start-up hubs and large corporations are moving away from stacking the fridge with booze and phasing in coffee, seltzers and kombucha. It’s not about trying to ban all alcohol at work, but it’s just being more aware that not everyone wants to drink.
Martian Logic has been helping HR teams adapt to workplace trends with simple, scalable solutions that let organisations thrive. Our intuitive HRIS goes beyond administrative HR, streamlining everything from recruitment and onboarding to performance tracking and employee well-being. With in-depth analytics and real-time insights, our platform empowers HR leaders to keep a pulse on evolving employee needs, like the shift away from office booze. Ready to modernise your workplace culture? Contact us today to discover how Martian Logic can reshape your HR strategy for 2025 and beyond.