Most companies have policies that prohibit or limit drinking alcohol at work events. While acceptance of drinking at work events has remained steady, few employees are actually disciplined for drinking at such events. The survey also found that slightly over one quarter of organizations do not have a formal or informal policy governing alcohol consumption at work functions.

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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