It seems that beer goggles have expanded their functionality from bars to office holiday parties. According to a YouGov survey of 1,429 UK workers, 43 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 45 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds admitted to needing alcohol to enjoy their office parties; co-workers and bosses seem more tolerable when these workers are under the influence.
Reliance on alcohol dropped as the respondents' ages increased: 32 percent of 34- to 44-year-olds said alcohol was necessary to have a good time, while 25 percent of those aged 45-54 agreed. The survey concluded that, overall, 28 percent of workers depend on alcohol for fun at office holiday parties. Because the booze is on the house and the social company isn't stimulating or makes you nervous, as is the case at many work parties, the survey findings aren't too surprising.
Let's do ourselves a favor though, and make sure we stay under our limit at these functions. Do you belong in the group that can't stand being around your co-workers and bosses any longer than a typical work day without the help of alcohol?
Photo copyright 2008 ABC, Inc.
for myself - i don't believe in drinking at work functions - i have something against making a fool of myself and that's typically what happens when people drink. at my last company - the staff would regularly go for happy hours and i'd see all the trouble that it caused - with random hook ups and people doing dumb things, so that is something that i avoided then, and will continue to avoid while i'm working now. that just means that i'll probably have to deal with co-workers who are drinking and maybe get out of hand, but that's something that i can at least control for myself.
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