An open bar isn’t the solution anymore…
For years businesses have held socials or events, created a tab for their employees and then just left everyone to have a good time.
But why? What is the purpose behind the cost? Usually the answer is to boost morale, foster better working relationships and bring people closer together. However, there are a number of reasons why the return on this investment may be minimising in modern times.
The first is the increase in people becoming ‘sober curious’. This is predominantly being led by Generation Z, but is filtering up to Millennials too. According to a recent study by NCSolutions, 61% of Gen Z plan to drink less in 2024 (up dramatically from the 40% in 2023), and nearly a half (49%) of Millennials plan to do the same – an increase of 26% from the previous year. This will be hard to fathom for those that have been attending ‘work drinks’ their entire careers, but as these younger generations start to make up more of the workforce it is certainly something to consider.
However, this doesn’t mean companies should be banning alcohol at events or telling their teams to stay sober. It just means a different tack may be called for. It means that throwing thousands of pounds behind the bar may no longer be the most sensible use of that budget because morale won’t be boosted among the sober, relationships won’t be fostered and the people could end up more alienated.
Besides, if the aim is to try and create shared memories among attendees it seems odd to lean on a substance famed for memory loss…
So when bringing people together, whether that’s for an corporate retreat or a teambuilding experience, relying on alcohol to do the heavy-lifting is no longer the answer.
Alcohol can be part of an experience, but don’t invest so heavily in it. Instead redirect this spend and create experiences for all to enjoy and revel at. Bring people together through shared activities like; inventive cocktail-making or even sharing a beer with a story-telling adventurer around a campfire. These more thoughtful concepts not only allow the sober curious to join in (mocktail-making is just as fun) but also are much more likely to boost morale, foster better working relationships and bring people closer together.
