Alcohol is Not Inclusive

Six hands holding up drinks. The glasses are touching to celebrate a toast.

Whenever I work with a company on reducing bias in hiring, promotions, performance evaluations and culture, there is always a section on making sure everyone has equal access to leadership. If that only happens over drinks after work, or some other alcohol-centric activity, you are most likely preventing good employees from getting access to the boss, and having access to the boss is how people advance in their careers.

We then make a list of all the individuals and groups excluded when you require people to drink alcohol or “go out for drinks” to get access to leaders or be thought of as team players.

Here’s the list so far:

• people who are driving and want to be responsible
• parents (and especially single parents)
• people with other family responsibilities
• people with other jobs to go to
• people who are pregnant and not ready to let the boss know
• people on antidepressants who don’t want anyone to know
• people who are sober
• people struggling to get/stay sober
• people on certain medications, especially painkillers
• people who don’t like the taste of alcohol