The last of the fleeting summer sun may be leaving us, but even the impending drizzle can’t put the brakes on the return of the office party. Employers everywhere are taking advantage of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions to wine, dine and entertain clients and workers alike. The working lunch, put simply, is back on the menu, with City A.M. reporting that in some UK cities bookings are up by close to 350 per cent.
For those who spent much of the last 18 months cooped up indoors this is, of course, good news. And although Zoom and Microsoft Teams kept us in touch with colleagues, few would argue they function as a wholesale alternative to in-person socialising.
But as we rush back to the pub, club or restaurant, we need to consider whether the events we host are truly inclusive of all staff. Say it with a whisper, but after-work socials or events on a golf course or at a racetrack – the preference of a number of businesses – tend to exclude minority employees, be they working parents, women, younger employees or even simply the more introverted.
Of course, that’s not to say that all businesses are guilty of hosting such events, but there is a noted tendency, particularly among certain sectors, for client and employee entertainment to include drinking by default. For those employees who don’t drink, this can result in them feeling excluded or even worse, for some, it can result in them feeling at risk.
In fact, research published last year found that more than 10 per cent of employees feel excluded by work socials or drinks. In truth, the numbers may be slightly higher: a 2019 study, after all, found that when employers initiate drinking events, employees feel obliged to participate, even if they would rather not. The widely reported experiences of UK employees suggests that those who often feel excluded tend to be women, those who identify as LGBT, parents or younger employees. Be honest, who believes it is a sensible idea to lose their inhibitions in front of their superiors…
Similar is true of structuring events around sports, particularly those that historically have been dominated by men, be it racing, boxing or golf. EY, for instance, realised as much when it invested significant sums in golf lessons for its female employees to ensure they weren’t inadvertently excluded from key business meetings on the green. The empirical evidence again bears out this view: last year, Women in Construction reported that 72 per cent of women experienced discrimination at work and of those, 37 per cent felt left out or excluded because of male conversations or social events.
From rolling out flexible working policies to appointing diversity chiefs, businesses have done such an excellent job of driving forward inclusivity. With such concerns now top of most boardroom agendas, it is important we ask whether the vital work we’ve been doing in the office risks being undermined by the activities that take place out of it.
This is not to adopt an almost Puritan opposition to drinking or sports. I, myself, enjoy a glass of wine and am front row at the pub when a Liverpool match is on. Rather, it is important to ensure that such events are supplemented by inclusive alternatives.
Here, and perhaps counterintuitively, Covid-19 provides a guide. Throughout lockdown, businesses everywhere were forced to think of alternatives to after-work drinks. Some surprising solutions sprung up. The catering company Social Pantry offered its employees weekly online Yoga sessions; travel company SkyScanner offered employees free access to the app Headspace with time off in the day to use it; and news site Citywire had a personal trainer who ran weekly lunchtime virtual workout sessions.
At Sir Robert McAlpine, alongside webinars with interesting speakers, such as ParaGB athletes, we also conducted walking virtual meetings, which was a great way of seeing colleagues while also getting our daily steps up.
And with the world opening up again, the opportunities to host fun, inclusive events will only increase. Be it trips to museums or art galleries with colleagues, or walks or brunches with clients, the world really is our oyster.
We’re far from needing to call time on the office party, or last orders on the spontaneous after-work drinks. Instead, as we emerge from lockdown, and before we rush straight back to the bar, we should ask ourselves whether employee and client entertainment is as inclusive as it could be. And, peeking out from behind the Covid-19 disruption, is the suggestion of how we could – perhaps – improve.
Lynda Thwaite is group brand, marketing and communications director at Sir Robert McAlpine