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How do your colleagues really feel about after-work drinks?

14 July 2023 By Sarah Neish

New research by events company Togather shows that 35% of Brits find going for a post-work pint “boring” and “a waste of time”.

With more companies asking employees to return to the office full-time, businesses are having to rethink their company culture to incentivise staff to make the commute.

A big part of that culture is how teams socialise together, and according to a recent study conducted by London-based events company Togather, 35% of Brits feel that the parties put on by their workplace reflect how valued they are by their employer.

Awkwardly, however, the same study revealed that the same number of Brits (35%) actively avoid going to work drinks as they find them “boring and feel like a waste of their time”.

The study appears to suggests that if companies want to keep their staff engaged and happy they should consider putting more thought into the social side of their business.

One way of doing so would be to make work drinks more inclusive, with a fifth (20%) of Brits agreeing that the events hosted by employer are not inclusive of different faiths, genders, identities or those who are pregnant.

A further 18% say their workplace has a boozy culture that they don’t always want to take part in. The study’s results show that 62% of British workers say they would prefer to eat good food at work events, rather than drink copious amounts of alcohol.

There still remains, though, a die-hard contingent of after-work pub-goers. Around 20% of Brits say that the traditional Thursday/Friday evening trips to the pub are a staple of their social calendar.

And 28% of UK employees say that their fondest memories come from workplace events.

“Workplace events have evolved way beyond get-togethers; they are now recognised as crucial for fostering a productive workforce,” says Hugo Campbell, co-founder of Togather.

“Our data shows that one in three employees would feel significantly more engaged with their workplace if social events received more investment.

“This places the onus on business owners to create workplace events that are truly captivating and inclusive, reflecting the value they place on their employees. It is no longer sufficient to rely on beige buffets, standard holiday celebrations, or the usual Friday night trips to the pub. Instead, businesses must provide meaningful experiences that genuinely demonstrate appreciation for their staff.”

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