The Boredom of Boozeless Busines: Is the Workplace Better Off With or Without Alcohol?

by Heisenberg Posted 2012/08/15 19:00:00

Related Topics: Alcohol, Workplace, Lifestyle, Booze

172 votes
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	Without	132 votes	77%
	With	40 votes	23%

ECONOMIST.COM reports:
AMERICA has a proud history of drinking on the job. Craftsmen who built the first government buildings in the 17th century were sometimes paid in brandy. The 19th-century railroaders who laid the foundations of modern America were notoriously thirsty. And anyone who thinks that "Mad Men," a TV drama in which 1960s advertising executives spend the working day sucking up Scotch, is a pastiche, would do well to talk to an account manager from the time -- though his memory may be hazy.

proud history drinking job craftsmen built government buildings 17th century

+13

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Ken 2012/08/15 03:57:17

Without

+7
How many lives and families have been destroyed by alcohol?
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More polls by Heisenberg

Top Shelf® (oyo) 2012/08/17 18:01:25

Without

german workers drink beer regularly
at lunch without incident.
americans just don't have that
kind of discipline.

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Nathan 2012/08/17 18:00:41

Without

+1
Alcohol makes people stupid and slow. I honestly can't see how it could improve anything business-wise. Now, if I had a business, I would consider letting everyone "off" a little early to join a hookah party where we smoke and discuss ways to make our business better. Obviously, I wouldn't force anyone to join, but it would be a great way to bring the team together and really get a sense of "us" at the job. It would help workers feel a part of the business. You don't even need drugs. Just give a hoot what your employees think and feel. You treat me right, I'll treat you right. Perhaps, there are more substantial factors in the romanticized jobs of the past, when employees were taken care of and happy, as compared to how workers are treated today.

P.S. I am talking about the corporate world here and not small businesses. I've had many great bosses, two who were like my father, while working at family businesses or just small businesses. It seems they care what you think much more than our corporate masters. If I am doing a certain job for awhile, I know what we need to do to make more money through efficiency or whatever needs to be changed. People work hard when you care about their thoughts and family. Make them feel important and worthy instead of just anothe...

Alcohol makes people stupid and slow. I honestly can't see how it could improve anything business-wise. Now, if I had a business, I would consider letting everyone "off" a little early to join a hookah party where we smoke and discuss ways to make our business better. Obviously, I wouldn't force anyone to join, but it would be a great way to bring the team together and really get a sense of "us" at the job. It would help workers feel a part of the business. You don't even need drugs. Just give a hoot what your employees think and feel. You treat me right, I'll treat you right. Perhaps, there are more substantial factors in the romanticized jobs of the past, when employees were taken care of and happy, as compared to how workers are treated today.

P.S. I am talking about the corporate world here and not small businesses. I've had many great bosses, two who were like my father, while working at family businesses or just small businesses. It seems they care what you think much more than our corporate masters. If I am doing a certain job for awhile, I know what we need to do to make more money through efficiency or whatever needs to be changed. People work hard when you care about their thoughts and family. Make them feel important and worthy instead of just another cog in the giant machine. I'm young and grew up with giant corporations, but I worked on farms as a kid and had the support of a few small businesses growing up, so I have seen the light so-to-speak.
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JanHopkins 2012/08/17 15:59:27

With

On the bright side, it did give the employees some breathing room in the afternoon and the bosses were in a better mood when and if they did return. My Dad told me about a much earlier era in the consumption of alchol on the job. When he was a kid he'd bring his dad lunch at work and the crew would send him down to the bar with a bucket for beer. I think he got a penny for his trouble. Isn't it amazing how much of this country was built with beer to fuel the workers?

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terrabytes 2012/08/17 14:45:00

Without

How can drinking on the job be beneficial?

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kyle 2012/08/17 14:34:36

With

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Michael 2012/08/17 14:33:46

Without

My lawyer friend always said he loved to try a case against someone who had a martini or two for lunch!

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dispatcher 2012/08/17 14:16:00

Without

Unfortunately alcohol does not make the problems go away they will still be there once you sober up & then you will have to face them once again.

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shadow76 2012/08/17 14:01:27

Without

Drunks are not fun to be around, let alone try to work with one!

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LeroyRogers 2012/08/17 12:29:08

Without

+1
Alcohol is by far the worst drug I ever used, and in my youth I did 'em all.

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Nathan to LeroyRo... 2012/08/17 17:47:31

You aren't alone in that thinking. I wish I would have never drank. I drink at most a beer every few months and it's usually some wine instead anyway. I've cut down and feel so much better. Now, if I could just quit nicotine... lol

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Action Bastard The II 2012/08/17 07:34:50

With

Depending on the job

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laydeelapis 2012/08/17 07:27:13

Without

It really depends on the person. Everyone's tolerance level is different. I'd say without just because I don't want that one guy with low tolerance working for me or with me.

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Milady 2012/08/17 06:19:24

Without

What a no-brain question! Drink driving, handling heavy equipment, falls... Ring any bells? Basic common sense says 'without'. PUHLEEEEZ

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Cricket 2012/08/17 02:10:58

Without

Need to be level-headed!

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Kigan 2012/08/17 00:05:40

Without

Best to save your drinking for personal time before you wind up with ONLY personal time.

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Dave The Canuck 2012/08/16 20:56:14

Without

Unless, of course, you're working in a bar.

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Circleof Friends 2012/08/16 19:32:19

Without

Without would probably be the best way to answer here

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dear•LT13☻ 2012/08/16 18:46:49

Without

Depends - do ya work in a Brewery? Then No.

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Rust 2012/08/16 17:44:26
L1Z2 2012/08/16 17:20:24

Without

If I did that, I be fired in an instant.

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HelmetGirl 2012/08/16 17:12:09

Without

Not a good idea. I recall a lunch meeting that was held at a local restaurant many years ago and we had no idea our boss such a lush! Not good at all. We never did that again.

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Kingarthurup 2012/08/16 16:18:45

With

at least for union and government employees... of course, how would we ever now otherwise?

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LeroyRo... to Kingart... 2012/08/17 12:32:01 (edited)

That's why unions and government does such a great job! Look at Chrysler!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/201...

No wonder Chrysler products are such pieces of crap!

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CHIEF 2012/08/16 14:47:20

Without

+1
YA WANNA DRINK STAY HOME

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RJeffreySavlov 2012/08/16 14:41:34

Without

Unless the workplace is a Bar or Tavern.

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Maximus to RJeffre... 2012/08/16 17:16:46

Still can't drink even if your employed there.

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lucky 2012/08/16 14:41:15

Without

It would really depend on the job and how much a person drinks. All in all considering how most people dont know their limit, id say probably better off without it in most cases.

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serethiel 2012/08/16 14:40:36

Without

+1
drinking on the job is unprofessional unless you're a wine taster.

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brian.southworth.921 2012/08/16 14:24:01

With

+2
Everything in moderation. Why not go to lunch and have a glass of wine or two with colleagues? Now of course, there are a few jobs where imparement is bad, such as heavy machinery operations or being a surgeon. But as a whole, most of our jobs do not require such things. It can be a great way to build friendships at work and release stress from the first half of the day. Works in Europe. But then again, they are not as puritanical as we are.

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L K 2012/08/16 14:21:37

Without

People need to stay focused at work without any substances.

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Sister Jean 2012/08/16 13:40:14

Without

+1
OUT

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Nu Joisey 2012/08/16 10:52:07

Without

+1
It's safer to keep "the cold ones" at home!

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Constant Commenter 2012/08/16 10:07:16

Without

+1
Sure, it might sound fun, but It would not work - neither would the employees. Not that everyone who drinks is an alcoholic, but what would happen with the ones who are?

It's taken a long while to discover that "Alcoholic's Anonymous" could really assist many with addiction since it was founded in the Thirties and the workplace has changed since the days depicted in "Mad Men".

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Tom R 007 2012/08/16 09:49:36

With

Depends on the workplace. If your workplace is a bar, then having alcohol there is not only acceptable, but expected.

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historian 2012/08/16 04:57:04

Without

+1
I've had a boss who would come in drunk and start raging and acting like an idiot, and then the next day when he was sober he wouldn't even remember. It got old fast.

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mikeeonly 2012/08/16 03:31:44

Without

+4
who wants to work with a bunch of drunks

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dekecds 2012/08/16 03:30:25

Without

+2
As a former Submariner I offer these two things:
1.) Alcohol was the source of many sailors ruined careers and lots of scrapped maintenance plans. The USN progressively cracked down on alcohol use during liberty and expressly prohibited command functions that allowed alcohol consumption, by the time I left the service.
2.) Each year, in international war games involving Britain and Australia, we American Submariners are often out maneuvered and soundly beaten by a Submarine Force that routinely celebrates with Keggers and Steeple Chase drinking. They also allow alcohol rations aboard ship during deployments.

Out of hand, I want to dismiss alcohol from the workplace as detrimental, but then how do you explain the Brits and Aussies victories? We would always say that morale accounted for more than any kind of abstaining from alcohol.

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Random to dekecds 2012/08/17 14:48:39 (edited)

+1
Ahh, but Down Under, drinking is a national sport. We are very used to being drunk at work.
Practice makes perfect, after all. =P

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Stevethinks 2012/08/16 03:26:02

Without

Of course you jest. NO!

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Nish 2012/08/16 02:26:50

Without

+2
Without Alcohol.

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