1. SHRM Poll: Policies Related to Alcohol
at Work-Related Events
November 12, 2010

2. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Key Findings
• Is drinking alcohol at work-related events prohibited by most companies. Slightly more than one-quarter
of organizations indicated that they did not have a policy that covered consumption of alcohol at work-
related events. The remaining organizations were close to evenly split in terms of having policies that allow
drinking alcohol versus prohibiting drinking alcohol at company events?
• Is drinking at work-related events becoming less acceptable? No, acceptance of drinking alcohol at work-
related events has remained nearly the same since 2006.
• Few organizations report disciplining employees as a result of drinking alcohol at a work-related event.
Ninety-four percent of organizations did not discipline any employees as a result of drinking at a work-
related event.
2

3. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Does your organization have a formal (written) or informal policy on drinking
alcohol at work-related events (e.g., lunch with co-worker, company events like
holiday parties, job interview over lunch or dinner, happy hour, dinner with
client, etc.)?
No, but my organization plans to create a policy within the next
12 months
Yes, we have an informal policy that does not allow drinking
alcohol at work-related events
Yes, we have a formal policy that allows drinking alcohol at
work-related events
Yes, we have an informal policy that allows drinking alcohol at
work-related events
Yes, we have a formal policy that does not allow drinking
No, my organization has no plans to create a policy
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
4%
9%
11%
18%
22%
35%
4%
13%
10%
25%
21%
27%
2010 (n = 415) 2009 (n = 378)
3
Note: “Not sure” responses were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

4. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
In the past 24 months, has drinking alcohol at work-related events in your
organization…
3%
12%
85%
1%
12%
87%
2%
11%
87%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
become more acceptable? become less acceptable? remained at the same level of
acceptance?
2006 (n = 483) 2009 (n = 378) 2010 (n = 397)
4
Note: “Not sure” responses were excluded from this analysis.

5. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
In the past 24 months, has any employee in your organization been disciplined
because of drinking alcohol at a work-related event?
1%
13%
86%
0%
11%
89%
0%
6%
94%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Yes, this often occurs Yes, but this rarely occurs No
2006 (n = 453) 2009 (n = 331) 2010 (n = 401)
Note: Excludes respondent who answered “don’t know.”
5

6. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Demographics: Organization Industry
Industry
Manufacturing –other 13%
Health care, social assistance (e.g., hospitals, clinics) 13%
Services –professional, scientific, technical, legal 9%
Financial services (e.g., banking) 8%
Educational services/education 8%
Retail/wholesale trade 6%
Government/public administration—federal, state/local, tribal 5%
Insurance 5%
Other services (e.g., other nonprofit, church/religious organizations) 4%
Transportation, warehousing (e.g., distribution) 3%
High-tech 3%
Consulting 3%
6
Note: n = 443. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

7. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)
Industry
Construction, mining, oil and gas 2%
Services—accommodation, food and drinking places 2%
Utilities 2%
Publishing, broadcasting, other media 2%
Association—professional/trade 2%
Real estate, rental, leasing 1%
Manufacturing—auto/auto-related 1%
Arts, entertainment, recreation 1%
Telecommunications 1%
Pharmaceutical 1%
Biotech 1%
Other 5%
7
Note: n = 443. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

8. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Demographics: Organization Sector
6%
7%
19%
20%
48%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Other
Government sector
Publicly owned for-profit organization
Nonprofit organization
Privately owned for-profit organization
8Note: n = 443

9. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Demographics: Organization Staff Size
18%
27%
25%
20%
10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
1 to 99 employees 100 to 499 employees 500 to 2499 employees 2500 to 24999
employees
25000 or more
employees
9
Note: n = 277

10. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
Demographics: Other
10
Note: n = 450
U.S.-based operations 73%
Multinational operations 27%
Single-unit company: A
company in which the location
and the company are one and
the same
32%
Multi-unit company: A
company that has more than
one location
68%
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices
50%
Each work location determines HR
policies and practices
1%
A combination of both the work
location and the multi-unit
headquarters determine HR policies
and practices
48%
Is organization a single-unit company or a multi-
unit company?
Are HR policies and practices determined by
the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each
work location or both?
Does the organization have U.S.-based
operations (business units) only or
does it operate multinationally?
Note: n = 432
Note: n = 316. Percentages do not total 100% due to
rounding.
• 15% of organizations indicated that
employees at their work location were
unionized.
Note: n = 443

11. Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events | ©SHRM 2010
SHRM Poll: Policies Related to Alcohol at Work-Related Events
• Response rate = 18%
• Sample comprised of 472 HR professionals randomly
selected from SHRM’s membership
• Margin of error is +/- 5%
• Survey fielded September 30–October 19, 2010
11
Methodology
For more poll findings, visit:
www.shrm.org/surveys
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