It’s time for a drink! Alcohol as an investment in the work environment

Abstract

Research literature on alcohol and work mainly focuses on the negative consequences for the workplace and colleagues. Nevertheless, drinking alcohol after work is a common activity among co-workers. By studying work-related drinking as rituals, the aim of this paper is to explore the social and symbolic meanings of work-related drinking. A total of 24 qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with Norwegian managers (12) and employees (12), aged 30–67 (mean age 45), of whom 10 were female. To ensure both breadth and variety, the interviewees represented multiple business sectors. Despite the fact that the participants had negative experiences of heavy-drinking colleagues, they constructed positive meanings of social drinking after work. The analysis revealed two clusters of narratives. First, alcohol consumption after work was seen as a transition ritual and second, drinking alcohol was used as a way of strengthening group cohesion. As an extension of this, drinking with colleagues contributed to collective experiences that produced shared (drinking) stories. Employees constructed positive understandings of drinking after work. Drinking together was viewed as an investment in colleagues. Thus, drinking together after work could have significant positive outcomes for the work environment.