HappyMaven – Building Bonds without the Booze

HappyMaven explores the relationship between alcohol, the workplace and its impact on our mental health.

2020 has seen the UK’s hospitality industry suffer like never before. With bars, pubs and clubs not being about to provide the convivial experience they’re intended for, we have in turn seen a seismic shift in the way in which people socialise and unwind following a day’s work. There has been a distinct change in drinking habits since the beginning of lockdown in March, with

‍28% of people surveyed agreeing that they had drunk more alcohol than usual during lockdown, despite pubs and bars being closed.

Throughout the lockdown, the government has openly addressed the mental health implications caused by the pandemic and the media has helped to raise awareness and provide resources to support the public during this time. The impact of alcohol consumption on physical and mental health is universally recognised yet the increase in consumption during lockdown has not been addressed as a factor in the ongoing risk to mental illness.

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To put the enormity of it’s impact into context, alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, ill-health and disability among 15-49 year-olds in the UK, and the fifth biggest risk factor across all ages.

As the traditional workplace environment dissolves and new ways of working change workers’ routine and behaviours, will the tradition of after-work drinks become a thing of the past? We explore the relationship between alcohol and the workplace and how perhaps the pandemic has served as the catalyst for changing the way we work and help us to discover alternative ways of expressing ourselves and connecting with others.

Cocktail Culture

There is no doubt that the media’s glamourisation of alcohol, especially amongst women, has helped to normalise more frequent and heavier drinking of alcohol in work environments, at the Friday afternoon drinks trolley or ‘swift-half’ after work. Post-work drinks have been assimilated as a way to wind down after a stressful day for decades and used as a reason to build personal bonds with coworkers - even used as means to get ahead in the workplace.

Research shows that higher earners are more likely to be regular drinkers (77%) compared to lower earners (45%) which perpetuates the well-known cycle of stress, depression and excessive drinking amongst whitecollar workers globally.

More formal industry events are often held on the assumption that everyone will be networking with a drink in their hand. This drinking culture not only alienates non-drinkers, but it also has a variety of negative effects on our health, both mental and physical.

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Mind & Body

In addition to the well-publicised physical health issues caused by continued alcohol consumption, such as liver disease, heart disease, and high blood pressure, there are a host of mental health issues that alcohol can also contribute to. Approximately one-third of individuals struggling with alcohol abuse also suffer from mental ill-health, and the number of people admitted to hospital with alcohol-related behavioural disorders has risen in the last 10 years by 94% for those aged 15-59, and by 150% for people over 60.

Alcohol is a depressant, disrupting our thoughts, wellbeing and actions in the short term, and causing long term mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and OCD. When alcohol is used as a coping mechanism for stress or as a social lubricant, it often has an adverse effect.‍

Studies have continually linked alcohol abuse and addiction to violence, domestic incidents, and suicide, making it one of the biggest killers globally.

The impact of a hangover runs much deeper than a headache and a thirst for anything caffeinated. Hangovers also cause physical sickness and psychological distress. The impact to commercial productivity is stark; a new report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) says the cost of hangovers is up to £1.4 billion a year, with as many as 89,000 people may be turning up to work hungover or under the influence of alcohol every day. On average, respondents believed themselves to be 39% less effective when they were hungover. Again, higher earners are more likely to be impacted as the report shows that 55% of higher earners have gone to work hungover or under the influence, compared to 29% of lower earners.

COVID-19 Impact

According to pre-pandemic research by the Economic Research Council, the risk of ‘problem drinking’ is heightened when individuals are working in conditions such as: isolated away from friends and family, with extended working hours, in dangerous environments, and when we’re at risk from organisational change such as restructure or redundancy. This list makes it clear why alcohol consumption has increased during the COVID-19 crisis. Sarah Hughes, the chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, said

‘Those employers that ignore the issue, or who undermine the mental health of their staff, risk not only the health of the people who work for them but the wealth of their business and the health of the economy as a whole.’

Generational Attitudes

As a population, we are now more educated on the effects of alcohol consumption on our physical and mental wellbeing, thanks to medical research and academic studies. According to a 2019 report, 56% of millennials (born between ‘81 and ‘96) consider themselves ‘mindful drinkers’ compared to only 37% of baby boomers (born between ‘46 and ‘64). This has been attributed to the 'information age’ driven by digital technology and the unlimited access to knowledge. This digital connectivity has in turn increased young people’s ability to connect and communicate virtually, rather than in the traditional setting of ‘the pub’, therefore less reliant on alcohol as a social lubricant. We’re also seeing a rise in ‘sober-curious’ people, who are looking to cut down on alcohol, but still enjoy an occasional drink. So, when working within a millennial team, it might be time to ditch the boozy activities in favour of more sober socials.

Alternative Activities

Luckily, it’s never been easier to drink less, with a variety of alcohol companies releasing sophisticated soft drinks or 0% alcohol variations. In May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, sales of non-alcoholic beer were up 44% in the US compared to the same period in 2019.

However, alcohol-free employee activities need to be more creative than simply replacing cocktails with mocktails or switching to alcohol-free beer. After-work drinks essentially provides human connection and serves as a way of employees unwinding, blowing off some steam and bonding. Here are a few alternative ways to provide that social connection which don’t revolve around alcohol, are available around the clock and are inclusive for entire organisations.

Games Nights: Having a sharp mind and quick wit are essentials for coming out on top.
Book / Film Club: Nothing beats debating salacious storylines and plot twists.
Cooking Club: Learn recipes from colleagues and the stories inspire their favourite dishes.
Research shows that increasing numbers of people are actively drinking less to improve their physical health and wellbeing, why not incorporate this into employee social activities? Switch the drinks trolley for yoga, meditation, exercise challenges and outdoor games.

All of these suggestions of alternative activities release countless endorphins and provide fuel for conversation enabling employees to connect and learn more about their colleagues, beyond what they order at the bar.

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Deeper Issues

Diverting socialising away from drinking alcohol not only shifts the focus away from the mental and physical impact on individuals, but also acts as an opportunity for managers to dig deeper into what employees actually want to achieve from team activities.

Employees may be looking to unwind and escape from the office, but is heading to the pub or offering drinks in the office just a lazy substitution for resolving wider issues such as disjointed teams, mismanagement or excessive workplace stress?

Employers have a duty of care to promote health and wellbeing among their staff when it is in fact as commonplace for workers to adopt alcohol as a coping mechanism for managing the pressures of modern life. By discovering why employees are using alcohol as a buffer will lead to a better understanding of their needs as both in and out of the workplace.

Summary

When businesses move away from alcohol as a crutch for team bonding, they will discover innumerable benefits, including an increase in workforce productivity and motivation (goodbye hangovers), teams who are connected on a more personal level, well-needed inclusivity for those who do not drink alcohol, and an improvement in overall health and wellbeing, both mental and physical. As our workplaces change for the long-term, it’s inevitable that employees will miss that genuine human connection with their co-workers, but now they don’t need a drink in hand to find it.

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