Company culture is a surprisingly complex issue. It can be made up of many different aspects of your business, and not all of them are necessarily work related. One of these things is drinking alcohol, both in the office and outside of it. While any good workplace will encourage team bonding and employee interaction, excessive drinking can cause a number of problems in your company:
- Lower productivity
- Absence and lateness
- Actually lower morale
- Poor behavior
- Damage to company image
- Various safety issues
Some jobs are more dangerous than others for alcohol issues. Working in a bar, for instance, makes employees twice as likely to die from alcohol misuse asthose who work in an office. Other jobs that are higher-risk than usual of alcohol-related illnesses include:
- Caterer
- Entertainer
- Hairdresser
If your company has a very sociable culture it’s easy to get carried away on regular nights out, or even Friday afternoon drinks. Some companies introduce a safety-first policy, banning drinking in the workplace across the board even when only some staff are in safety-critical roles. But if you want to ensure a relaxed, informal atmosphere you may be wary of implementing such measures.
Many startups offer perks to make up for long hours and more work stress than your average job. One that seems to have become a tradition is a well-stocked booze cupboard and beer in the fridge. A lot of SMEs of this sort will shut early on a Friday to encourage their staff to relax and kick back after a difficult week.
This is almost expected by prospective employees who are looking for a job in a startup, so you might feel pressured to conform to this. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you want this to be part of your company culture – plenty of places don’t. And if you’re a startup with remote workers, you don’t need to worry about this as much.
It’s worth keeping an eye on your company culture and employee behaviours. If employees are drinking regularly, it could be signs of too much stress in the job –alcohol is often an avoidance or coping strategy. While you might be inclined to think it’s a useful way to blow off steam, there are other strategies that you can offer to help your employees reduce stress and stay healthy:
- Exercise – Partner up with a gym to offer your employees discounts orcorporate memberships.
- Healthcare plan –There are plenty of examples online of affordable plans for small businesses to help keep employees healthy.
- Revise your processes – There may be work that isn’t necessary but is piling up on your staff’s to-do lists. Find it and get rid of it.
- Offer non-alcoholic alternatives – Social nights out for the team could involve the cinema or taking part in sports.
- Look for employee feedback – There’s every chance that you can find less stressful ways to get work done.
Ultimately it is up to you how you want to develop your company culture. Remember that you don’t need to imitate other businesses in your space. In fact, not doing so will help you stand out.
