WTF?? Wine/Beer in the work place
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 521
WTF?? Wine/Beer in the work place
Hey Everyone,
So I work in an IT enviorment... which is demanding, fast paced, and I truly love it... I spend 8 hours at work... and it feels like 4. My problem is that I am under 2 weeks sober. And, REALLY, REALLY trying harder this time to beat and exceed my record of 49 days sober (yes like forever...). I am in AA working the program... and now I find the need to yell/scream at my HP... and why? Well my young, progressive company made the decision that it was "okay" to drink in the office....
****... (excuse the language)... and they have now installed a Keg and a wine bar... what is next? Truly a hard drink bar. I am not kidding you. I mean I really love my job. And, it is one of the only places that I can go that I feel like I have to "perform" so it has been a "safe" space if you will. Now I feel like I have to fight even harder... or find a new job. Which I don't want to do... because I actually love what I do.
Then again I did go to CT last week for an interview with another company and got a job offer on Friday. If the snow wasn't up to my knees I would take it in a heartbeat. *bangs head on keyboard*
Okay so I needed to out this out there to peeps beyond myself.
Regards,
Saliena (who today is sober at work.. and hopefully will be tomm)
So I work in an IT enviorment... which is demanding, fast paced, and I truly love it... I spend 8 hours at work... and it feels like 4. My problem is that I am under 2 weeks sober. And, REALLY, REALLY trying harder this time to beat and exceed my record of 49 days sober (yes like forever...). I am in AA working the program... and now I find the need to yell/scream at my HP... and why? Well my young, progressive company made the decision that it was "okay" to drink in the office....
****... (excuse the language)... and they have now installed a Keg and a wine bar... what is next? Truly a hard drink bar. I am not kidding you. I mean I really love my job. And, it is one of the only places that I can go that I feel like I have to "perform" so it has been a "safe" space if you will. Now I feel like I have to fight even harder... or find a new job. Which I don't want to do... because I actually love what I do.
Then again I did go to CT last week for an interview with another company and got a job offer on Friday. If the snow wasn't up to my knees I would take it in a heartbeat. *bangs head on keyboard*
Okay so I needed to out this out there to peeps beyond myself.
Regards,
Saliena (who today is sober at work.. and hopefully will be tomm)
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Maybe it's time to move on.
I can't imagine how a company, now matter how 'progressive and young', could think that drinking at work is okay. It's not a company I would want to work for.
I can't imagine how a company, now matter how 'progressive and young', could think that drinking at work is okay. It's not a company I would want to work for.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 521
Originally Posted by Anna 
Maybe it's time to move on.
I can't imagine how a company, now matter how 'progressive and young', could think that drinking at work is okay. It's not a company I would want to work for.
I can't imagine how a company, now matter how 'progressive and young', could think that drinking at work is okay. It's not a company I would want to work for.
Saliena
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Planet Tragedy
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Huh?
I dont get that?! A firm encouraging employee's to drink @ work?!
You can bet someones performance is going to be affected, or fall out with a colleague maybe.
Someone prob' abuse it... dont let it be YOU!
Maybe time to think about a new job if sobriety is what you're looking for.
Or maybe you could rise to the challenge, its possible, and you do like working there.
I wish you luck either way :-)
I dont get that?! A firm encouraging employee's to drink @ work?!
You can bet someones performance is going to be affected, or fall out with a colleague maybe.
Someone prob' abuse it... dont let it be YOU!
Maybe time to think about a new job if sobriety is what you're looking for.
Or maybe you could rise to the challenge, its possible, and you do like working there.
I wish you luck either way :-)
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 507
It's actually not as uncommon as you'd think in the private sector. Especially when the company/firm you work for puts hours on the bar, i.e. bar is open AFTER work hours or after 5 o'clock or something like that. My firm keeps our fridge stocked with beer and it's just known that you drink only when you're working late or on Fridays after 4:30. I'm sure your company does see it as a draw for the college graduates and also as a draw for extra collaboration after hours.
If it's easy to avoid that area of your work environment, I'd try avoidance first. You might find that a lot of your peers will do the same. Maybe not the fresh from college crowd but the 28+ crowd probably has better things to do after work than hanging out at the work "bar", you know? That's how it is at my firm. Rarely do I see anyone taking advantage. They either don't want to drink and then drive (many of us have city commutes meaning LONG commutes) or they have families at home that take priority over cocktails.
If you have the luxury, see how it goes for a week or two and then decide if you can stay or if it's better to go elsewhere. If you decide to leave, don't be afraid to express your concerns about this "bar" during an exit interview. You aren't the only one who has a problem with it, I can guarantee that.
If it's easy to avoid that area of your work environment, I'd try avoidance first. You might find that a lot of your peers will do the same. Maybe not the fresh from college crowd but the 28+ crowd probably has better things to do after work than hanging out at the work "bar", you know? That's how it is at my firm. Rarely do I see anyone taking advantage. They either don't want to drink and then drive (many of us have city commutes meaning LONG commutes) or they have families at home that take priority over cocktails.
If you have the luxury, see how it goes for a week or two and then decide if you can stay or if it's better to go elsewhere. If you decide to leave, don't be afraid to express your concerns about this "bar" during an exit interview. You aren't the only one who has a problem with it, I can guarantee that.
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Germany
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Sounds very unhealthy and definitely not something I would want to work in either. I have worked for companies that had drinking events/etc. but not one condoned or allowed booze on the job. At least in the northeast region of the US where I am from.
BTW...I am from CT and the weather is not that bad. If that job offer seems like something you want then a snowstorm shouldn't put you off. A job that promotes boozing at work for a person with a drinking problem....is one I would be looking to move on from.
All the best with your decision.
BTW...I am from CT and the weather is not that bad. If that job offer seems like something you want then a snowstorm shouldn't put you off. A job that promotes boozing at work for a person with a drinking problem....is one I would be looking to move on from.
All the best with your decision.
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
I'm from CT and this was an unusual winter, so don't let that be too huge a factor, OK?
I used to work at a firm that had happy hours, and cocktail parties...since it was a massive law firm your work days usually went into the wee hours of the night, no one cared if you had a couple of drinks and went back to work. But the firm took up 3 city blocks it was pretty easy to avoid the happy hours if you wanted to. Still, I LOVED those happy hours, free booze was always good for me. That said, I'm alone in my new work place right now and come to think of it, there's a bottle or two of wine in the fridge not ten feet away from me.
Good luck!
I used to work at a firm that had happy hours, and cocktail parties...since it was a massive law firm your work days usually went into the wee hours of the night, no one cared if you had a couple of drinks and went back to work. But the firm took up 3 city blocks it was pretty easy to avoid the happy hours if you wanted to. Still, I LOVED those happy hours, free booze was always good for me. That said, I'm alone in my new work place right now and come to think of it, there's a bottle or two of wine in the fridge not ten feet away from me.
Good luck!
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Posts: 4,890
Originally Posted by Saliena
Then again I did go to CT last week for an interview with another company and got a job offer on Friday.
Can't you take the job and tell them you'll be there after you work out a notice? The weather should be clear by then.
If you're really concerned about the booze at work, you'll change your environment.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 521
Good points everyone... and I wish it was that easy. I would just up and move. But, the problems are 1) I have a house in Atlanta 2) my husband would have to quit his job and move with me... while the raise is great... it isn't enough to cover his salary 3) we REALLY REALLY REALLY want to be in Southern California and are working with all our energy to be there within the next 12 months. So, CT is seems is just taking us further and further away from that dream. And, what do we do with the house we have in the ATL?
Also, it isn't that unusal for a young IT company to have drinking on the job. As a matter of fact when I first got out of school I worked for two major startups that had kegs on the roof on Friday afternoon. My problem is that I am always "OK" at work... and "OK" in a crowd.. I am an a**hole to the people who love me the most. And, it is the last year of being that person that convinced me it is time to stop drinking. And, I have been devoted and going down that path. I think I can stick to it.... but, this is just another bump in the road...
Regards,
Saliena
Also, it isn't that unusal for a young IT company to have drinking on the job. As a matter of fact when I first got out of school I worked for two major startups that had kegs on the roof on Friday afternoon. My problem is that I am always "OK" at work... and "OK" in a crowd.. I am an a**hole to the people who love me the most. And, it is the last year of being that person that convinced me it is time to stop drinking. And, I have been devoted and going down that path. I think I can stick to it.... but, this is just another bump in the road...
Regards,
Saliena
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 24
A few years back I visited a German car factory on a work trip and someone from our party noticed that the vending machine for the employees there contained beer along with the usual soft drinks. Questioning the Guide who was showing us around about this, he responded that it was policy that the worker was quite entitled to have a beer during his break or a glass of wine with lunch if he so wished but if it became a problem then that would be dealt with appropriately.
In my consideration that is a totally reasonable policy and allows the majority of people who can have an alcoholic drink without going over the top to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately this doesn't apply to You or I. If you think the temptation will be too great then it maybe time to move on but is it not also possible that you are being slightly paranoid about this development and will find that the "bar" is not the attraction imagined and that most people would just like to get their work done?
All the best on whatever decision you make.
In my consideration that is a totally reasonable policy and allows the majority of people who can have an alcoholic drink without going over the top to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately this doesn't apply to You or I. If you think the temptation will be too great then it maybe time to move on but is it not also possible that you are being slightly paranoid about this development and will find that the "bar" is not the attraction imagined and that most people would just like to get their work done?
All the best on whatever decision you make.
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Tuborg, in Denmark, used to have coolers of beer in their breweries for the workers...prettying much unlimited...they had to put a limit on it and their workers went on strike. They also decides to limit the number of drinks their driver's could have.
If you are trying to move to social...keep the job and work on some coping mechanisms.
If you are trying to move to social...keep the job and work on some coping mechanisms.
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
Stick with the program and make sure you're progressing through the steps.
Sometimes, I think we get "challenges" like that in our lives to spur us forward in the program. Yanno, if you're not growing, eventually that stuff at work might pull you back down.......so you damn well better be sure you're swimming as well as you can into sobriety.
And I'll add...... as you get recovered - physically, mentally and spiritually - that stuff won't bug you for even a second. My office has a bar in a big globe that sits right outside the door to my office. Captains, vodka, Jager, tequilla, you name it.....it's all in there and it's mostly top shelf stuff.
If it's just you keeping yourself sober......temptations like that will suck. Keep seeking that power bigger than you though.....He'll (She'll / It'll / etc) do for you what you can't do for yourself - like change your whole attitude about drinking.
I can honestly say, I walk by that thing 2 -3 dozen times per day and it just doesn't even enter my mind what's there......even when it's open and I SEE the bottles (and I was a big Captains and/or Vodka drinker), it just doesn't occur to me to have a drink.
You'll get there......but you've gotta be putting in your end of the work...
Sometimes, I think we get "challenges" like that in our lives to spur us forward in the program. Yanno, if you're not growing, eventually that stuff at work might pull you back down.......so you damn well better be sure you're swimming as well as you can into sobriety.
And I'll add...... as you get recovered - physically, mentally and spiritually - that stuff won't bug you for even a second. My office has a bar in a big globe that sits right outside the door to my office. Captains, vodka, Jager, tequilla, you name it.....it's all in there and it's mostly top shelf stuff.
If it's just you keeping yourself sober......temptations like that will suck. Keep seeking that power bigger than you though.....He'll (She'll / It'll / etc) do for you what you can't do for yourself - like change your whole attitude about drinking.
I can honestly say, I walk by that thing 2 -3 dozen times per day and it just doesn't even enter my mind what's there......even when it's open and I SEE the bottles (and I was a big Captains and/or Vodka drinker), it just doesn't occur to me to have a drink.
You'll get there......but you've gotta be putting in your end of the work...
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