How to Drink at the Office: Responsible Workplace Culture

1) Most Important - Always Ask for Permission

In the startup world, we're typically believers of the old saying “it is better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission," but that doesn't hold true when it comes to alcohol in the office. Approval will come from different folks in companies of different sizes, but make sure to cover your bases: executive team or CEO, General Counsel, HR, and whoever will be planning and paying. Make sure to get the green light and buy in, otherwise, you're destined to fail.

2) Be Inclusive

This shouldn't be a clique or a popularity contest. If it's limited to a particular group or team because their leader is the sponsor and there are budgetary constraints, that is okay; make that fact known so people don't feel left out on purpose. Otherwise, make your event inclusive so everyone in the company can join in on the fun. A major value of office happy hours is getting folks together who typically don't communicate or work together frequently. New ideas for the business, mentorship, and friendships can form in these situations.

3) “Failing to plan is planning to fail" - Alan Lakein

Self-explanatory. Plan ahead. Set the date and time as far in advance as possible. People are busy and have lives and responsibilities outside of work. Providing ample time to plan increases probability of attendance. Set a calendar invite to get it on people's schedules. Order your drinks from Drizly a day or two in advance to ensure your local retailer has what you need.

Top Tips For Planning Your Drizly Order:

Get something for everyone. Realize that not everyone will drink beer and, even then, not everyone drinks the same type of beer

It's okay to skip the hard stuff. At many office happy hours, there is a “serve yourself policy," so many employers are more comfortable with sticking to beer and wine

If you're going to serve hard alcohol, we suggest mixing ahead. Find an easy cocktail recipe that you can mix ahead of time and serve in a pitcher for people to help themselves. This way, you can control how much liquor is getting served

Go with a theme! Introduce your employees to something new. Go with a variety of Seasonal beers for this Friday, or try a wine tasting with different varietals alongside a cheese platter for a #WineWednesday. At Drizly, we're happy to help with your order and, bonus, your team and employees will appreciate the extra effort you put into planning!

4) Don't Forget the Food

Feeding people is important, too, and can be simple. A service like ezCater will allow you to line up some themed finger foods. Make sure to order enough food so people don't go hungry or mistakenly overindulge.

5) Schedule a Start and End Time

This helps people with planning and knowing what to expect. As an example, 4-5:30 this Friday would be perfect. Order earlier in the week for a morning delivery, or pickup on Thursday or Friday before your event.

We hope these tips are helpful. If you want to talk to a corporate specialist at Drizly, reach out. Schedule your order ahead so it is one less thing on your list come the end of the week.