I came across an older, but interesting article which addressed a highly important topic (sarcasm): Alcohol in the Workplace. In this article, Alcohol in the Workplace: Cool Trend or Risky Policy, the author observes the tradeoffs of allowing drinking at work.
Surprisingly, the article states that in one survey of 6,540 employees at 16 workplaces representing a range of industries, 23 percent of upper-level managers reported drinking during work hours in the prior month. In addition, he cites examples at Twitter and Yelp where alcohol is provided for employees.
The author uses these findings in order to present the following questions:
All of the above raises the question: is making alcohol available at the workplace justified by arguments such as long work hours, the blending of work and home life, or the expectation that employees will act responsibly?
This article made me think back to reading one of the better chapters in Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle where they all “go to the printer” where access to free beer was made available.
Are you guys for or against this trend? Has anyone ever had alcohol at the workplace in your current job? Do you have any good stories about drinking in the workplace?
Hear about that one Citi trader that blew off billions after getting pissed at work?
Doesn't matter how good a drinker you are or how much better environment you'll get with a bit of booze introduced - there will always be one destroyed pisshead ruiner that makes the practice impossible.
Theoretically though - I think it's a great idea!
Just found an article on it and its great haha! Drunk Trader Article Link
That's the best quote ever
"During this period, Mr Perkins gradually edged up the price by bidding higher each time, until he was responsible for 69pc of the global market volume."
I find this fucking hilarious
duplicate
watched a parking lot by the beach one summer in high school (making sure people didn't park and not pay), got hammered every day.
I don't know that you'd want someone watching your money drunk/buzzed...
You should go see what IFAs are like in Dubai mate.. absolute scenes what they do with the clients while pissed
Are you in Dubai? Do you have any good recommendations for places to go out? I love the Marriot and 4 seasons, and haven't ventured out as much because of how great those two places are.
My first internship was at a small (~100 employees) derivatives brokerage. I emphasise the fact that it was small, because only at a place like that could they have basically no rules on the consumption of alcohol in the office. They freely provided a wide range of beer, wine and liquor, available whenever you wanted.
With the exception of a small incident at the office Xmas party, this didn't cause any problems. I put this down to the fact that everyone had a job to do, it was a open, team environment (dealing room), so nobody was really able to get pissed. People would often have a beer at the end of the day, or on Fridays maybe a little earlier. Obviously at client lunches and dinners there would be drinking, but I never saw anyone get drunk when they shouldn't have been.
I feel like if I had that opportunity I wouldn't take that much advantage of it and yet it would make me appreciate the company much more anyway.
Exactly. I think that was the overall feeling. It was actually a great place to work.
Please elaborate re: the Christmas party
Nothing that spectacular. An (obese) dealer got really drunk and made loud, lewd comments about the (married, beautiful) head executive assistant to their face. Unfortunately I was pretty sober at the time so I just found it awkward, everyone else thought it was hilarious. That kinda shit just risks lawsuits though.
Study shows being a little drunk is a good way to operate:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/23/alcohol-creativity-the-problem…
edit: My grandfather was a turn-around specialist and he said they use to have 4-5 drinks at lunch everyday - crazy how things change
I'm gonna show my boss these studies, I am sure he will understand and revise the rules
Yes at a MM PE shop I worked at.... no at the family office I work at. Guess there's a different attitude when the investment team is managing YOUR money instead of LP money.
A guy I trade with told me that one of the older traders at his firm (in his 60s now) has a no afternoon meeting policy because he likes to drink two whiskeys after lunch every day. I guess that's just BSD status now.
A friend of mine at a MBB had a project lead/manager who systematically "celebrated" sending out a key deliverable by squatting an absent partner's office with his team and having 2-3 G&Ts per person. It wasn't in the open but many knew and didn't mind one bit, probably since said manager was among the highest ranked in the region. Also, a beer or two with dinner was apparently normal.
Wouldn't do it. Even when there were times when I went out for a lunch and it was encouraged, you just feel off coming back to the desk.
I used to work as an engineer for a tax-software company, and every other Friday there would be a company party where they'll bring taps out for us to get our drinks from. Awesome time I had over there.
Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter on LSD. If you do your job better when you're blind drunk, drink 24/7. If not, don't
two of my good friends work at a start up where kegs are in each floors kitchen. Every few weeks they switch out types of beers and have deals w local micro breweries. From their experience the kegs are rarely used with the exception of pregames in the office and grabbing a beer before heading home. keeps them happy and minimal damage done. obviously different industries and stress loads will factor in and increase/ decrease consumption
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Yes, I do.
Know of a place that kept a fridge stocked with shelves of beer. My buddy would drink often during the afternoons, and he was at the analyst level. It was a smaller money manager so I guess they could make whatever rules they wanted. I always thought it was pretty cool that they kept drinks for everyone to have. Obviously, it's a trigger for firing you if you show yourself irresponsible to be able to handle that. Culture plays a big part in whether or not it's a good idea.
When I worked in BO, I remember my manager considering this for the group. He then went on to say something like "yeah, I remember that party where xx got hammered. You're the reason why I don't want to have drinks in the office. People like you would take it too far (jokingly, of course." I know that not everyone can do it, but if everyone is able to say no if it's not for them or have a drink or two up to their limit, it's a pretty neat idea.
Yes
Only at lunch meetings.
We have clients over to drink pretty often. Analysts can too if free, though understandably most of us don't until the end of the day. A lot of us have a bottle at our desk in addition to the office bar. Sometimes we crack the bottle once the office empties out. We all like our jobs so we keep it together and don't abuse the privilege. Occasionally we'll have a boozy friday lunch if things are slow.
Definitely not. But then again I work at a defense contractor where they can search my car if I seem suspicious. And if I have sealed alcohol in my trunk, I get sent home.
I drink during lunch hours, but I have found that my productivity and thinking skills at work are increased to 110%!
I also start laughing and look like a giant red cherry.
One shot of scotch a day makes me sharp throughout the day
Drinking AT the office during work hours, probably not. Occasional wet lunch and very late after-hours conference calls, though...
That would not go over well. Is a beer at lunch in the office REALLY that bad? No, but the optics are shit.
Ever heard of the ballmer peak? https://xkcd.com/323/
Tried that in college. It is really hard because you either get tired quick from the beer or drink too much and get wasted.
I know of a place that would always have two kegs in the corner of the room, and you'd be required to do a keg stand before you could go home.
Well I don't think you could ever get bored of your job with a go home requirement like that.
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