What would be the acceptability of this in your workplace? For context, which country and industry are you in?
I guess I’m mainly thinking about professional jobs, but interested to hear from. I think in France it would be quite common to have a glass of wine, even at a work canteen or so. But in the UK it seems like people would think that was a problem, and in a lot of cases you’d be in violation of something at work.
UK/Astronaut
We take a fifth of gin everytime our home country whizzes by, so that’s a full glass over the entire workday, and it tends to make the job go faster.
When I worked in kitchens and bars? Regularly
Now, driving a forklift and using a nail gun every day… I’ll wait till I get home
I’d regularly have a pint or two (no more than three) with my boss on Wednesday lunchtimes! And, in another workplace, while I was a young’un throwing an almighty tantrum, I spent a month having four double vodkas for lunch most days. Stunned I wasn’t fired, honestly. (UK)
Used to work for a company that started out as a US startup for IT Services, later it was purchased by a large German company.
During its startup days, you did not dare drink alcohol at lunch time.
After being bought by the German company, you did not dare NOT to drink alcohol at lunch time. Especially if someone from Germany was visiting. They viewed it odd that we had an aversion to drinking beer at lunch.
Part of my job involves operate hoists that are lifting several tonnes over the general public. Anything that is even impairment adjacent, like being tired, will get you removed from that position. If you are actually impaired you’re fired no questions.
Almost was crushed cause of a rigger 👍🏼. I’d never work with a drunk one.
UK IT dev here. When I started working in the field back in 2000ish it was perfectly fine for IT staff to pop to the pub. Did for many years. Then in my 20s it became normal to have drinks after work rather than during work. Then when marriage etc came along, it became neither.
I went back to work once (programming) after a couple of beers at the bar. Turns out not a job I can do while drinking.
Obligatory
I see no problem with a single drink at lunch, specially with your team. It helps you relax and build rapport imo.
At my previous job, my manager would take our 5-6 people team out for lunch and a beer for anyone’s birthday and at the end of the year. I miss that.
My current job doesn’t allow it, so going out for lunch with co workers is a little more stiff, and so is my relationship with my manager.
Last christmas I had to work during the break with only 1 co-worker, we snuck out and had pizza with a berr. It was great.
Yes, I drink almost exclusively at lunch.
I find a lot of benefits to this schedule too. Mainly, less likely to over indulge, and less impact on sleep quality.
School bus driver here. Drinks at lunch would not be a good idea.
what about a camel flatpak?
I’m not seeing that one. Might need to add the right repository.
its upstream of the brewery
In the U.S. this has changed a bit over the years. I believe, based on watching Mad Men, that it used to be super common for people to drink and have alcohol at work, let alone at lunch. A friend of my dad used to take his Playboy subscription at work because he didn’t want it to be available to his kids. Try that these days!
In the 90s, I worked at a job were it wasn’t uncommon to have a drink with lunch, especially when we were out with our Managing Director.
In the 2000s it was essentially something you’d get fired for.
Now? My current job (IT in the aviation industry) wouldn’t allow it but there are apparently a lot of start ups that bring beer around to people’s desks on Friday afternoons.
It was for the articles!
US/Engineer
At my first job, a fairly large firm with a few hundred people, I remember the furtive glances around the table as everyone didn’t want to be the first one to order a beer. Once a single person ordered one, several others would too. The boss was fine with it, but nobody did it in front of the boss’s boss. We never had more than one, though.
At my second job, a small, new company with 12ish people, it was pretty common. Sometimes someone would bring a six pack to share into the office on a Friday afternoon. Usually, the owners would join in.
At my current job in the public sector, the culture just isn’t there. Nobody drinks at all during work hours. I don’t drink as much anymore, anyway.
Canadian IT worker.
I refuse to drink at work parties. Everyone else does and I get some peer pressure to drink but I don’t care. Its normal to see people get super drunk and embarrass themselves which is why I don’t even start.
Specifically at lunch, if I’m not driving and others are having a beer I will but only one. If I’m driving, it depends on how I’m feeling.
Working from home I’ve been known to have a beer or two on a Friday afternoon by my self.
When I left my last job we had a meeting at the end of the day with the guys I got along with and anyone they wanted to invite. There was about 15 people from different departments with their cameras on having a drink or smoking (pot) if they didn’t drink as a goodbye. Was a nice goodbye. Lol
I don’t drink but if I did I’d never drink at a work social. I leave work socials early to avoid any drunkenness because there are 535356 ways it can go wrong.
Way 535354: coworker gets really drunk, as does the owners wife. Coworker later fired for sleeping with owners wife. Like that you mean?
Haha yep that’s on the list
Depends on what the boss does, but if I’m the most senior person, and especially if it’s a conference or lunch meeting with someone I know well, and the itemized bill isn’t required for reimbursement, sure thing. Have many times.
Some older companies have policies in place that define appropriate circumstances under which staff can have 1 drink during duty hours and it not be an actionable offense.
I am a winemaker in the Pacific Northwest. I sample wines a lot throughout the day but mostly I spit, I still catch a bit of a buzz sometimes though. Sometimes during harvest when we’re working long days outside I’ll have a beer or two. We celebrate the start and end of harvest with champagne. When I work wine tasting events I look forward to trying wines from other local wineries, I usually have a fair number of tastes throughout the event. I think I actually drink more at work than I do at home.
