The Corporate Happy Hour

The Corporate The Corporate Happy HourHappy Hour

How much is too much?How much is too much?

Why Do People Why Do People Attend Happy Attend Happy

Hour?Hour?

Career Builder SurveyCareer Builder Survey• Surveyed 6,987 people• 1 in 5 workers attends happy hour festivities with

co-workers at least once a month.• 82% go to bond with co-workers, • 11 % go specifically for quality time with the

boss.• 15% of the attendees were all about the office

gossip.• Men and women were equally likely to attend.• Workers ages 25 to 34 had the highest

attendance across all age groups.

The industries that ranked The industries that ranked highest for happy hours were: highest for happy hours were:

• Professional and business services (35%)

• Financial services (34%)

• IT (29%) • Sales (28%)• Healthcare (24%)

What do I want you to What do I want you to take a way from this?take a way from this?

• Understand that happy hour events can have a positive effect on your career

• How to use these events as a networking tool

• How to avoid the pitfalls of happy hour socializing

What's the point?What's the point?• A lot of corporate

socializing takes place around alcohol

• After-hours socializing can help boost worker camaraderie and advance workers' careers

• Experts recommend that everyone occasionally attend.

What are the benefits?What are the benefits?

Showing up for office social functions even occasionally signals you're a team

player and helps you control your reputation at work.

What are the benefits?What are the benefits?

The laid-back happy hour atmosphere provides a perfect opportunity to bond with co-workers and rub elbows with

executives.

Among those who attend happy hour: More than one-third of workers in retail sales 21% of financial workers 20% of those in salesSaid going to happy hour helped them to get close to

someone higher up in the company and/or a better position.

What are the benefits?What are the benefits?

What if I don’t drink?What if I don’t drink?• Not drinking at a happy hour event will not

hurt your career, the point is to show up and take part in the event by mingling and talking to the people you work with.

• If someone asks to buy you a drink, you can politely decline

• You can always drink alcohol looking beverages like Cranberry and ginger ale

Happy Hour for the non Happy Hour for the non drinkerdrinker

• Just because alcohol is served at most happy hours and after-hours parties, that doesn't mean you have to drink, says author and workplace behavior expert John Putzier. But if you choose to skip the alcohol, don't act holier-than-thou or make others uncomfortable, he says. "You can drink tonic water and Coke and it doesn't have to be a statement."

Not So happy hour Not So happy hour experiences experiences

Not So happy hour Not So happy hour experiences experiences

The Caron Treatment Centers commissioned Harris Interactive to

survey 1,973 adults ages 21 and over throughout the U.S. about the impact of

alcohol at holiday parties.

Not so happy hourNot so happy hourResearchers found that 64% of those who attend holiday parties sponsored by employers said

the events sometimes included

embarrassing alcohol-driven

episodes.

What are some What are some of the negative of the negative things you think things you think

people people experienced?experienced?

Not so happy hourNot so happy hour• 16% of those who responded said that they

talked negatively or inappropriately about a co-worker or manager.

• 10% said they shared a secret or confidence about a co-worker.

• 8% kissed one of their co-workers• Another 8 % admitted that they drank too much

and acted unprofessionally.• A surprising 5 % breached a confidence or secret

about the company.• And 4 % of workers admitted, with regret, that

they sang karaoke.

Not so happy hourNot so happy hour

What can you do to get the most out of these events and avoid bad

experiences?

Tips for a successful Happy Tips for a successful Happy HourHour

Be PreparedBe Prepared

• Make sure you have an idea of how you want the night to go.

• Take time to think about how long you want to be there. If you have a definite end time, STICK TO IT!

Eat, then drink and be Eat, then drink and be merry.merry.

• If you’re heading to happy hour right after work, chances are you’re going to end up drinking on an empty stomach. That makes your body absorb any alcohol much quicker, which can have a big effect on your body and your behavior.

• Have a mid-afternoon meal or snack so that you are not drinking on an empty stomach.

• Most bars have happy hour meal specials order a plate of wings or mozzarella sticks with your drink.

Pay as you goPay as you go • The best practice

policy is to pay for your own drinks

• This way you can avoid the urge to over drink and can stick to your limit

Slow and steady wins the Slow and steady wins the racerace

• Pace yourself• Try alternating your

alcoholic beverages with non alcoholic beverages

• Your body processes alcohol at about one drink per hour, try to stick with that when drinking

Keep busyKeep busy • Don’t just sit down

and drink• Pick a place with

some recreational options, like pool, darts or video games to keep yourself moving around

Bring out a limited amount Bring out a limited amount of moneyof money

• Leave your ATM card

• This way you can avoid the temptation to spend more (and drink more).

Remember, it’s not a Remember, it’s not a competition!competition!

• Resist the urge to get competitive, no matter how well you think you can hold liquor.

• And realize that the same people, who are cheering you at your tenth shot tonight, will probably spend the next morning laughing about how drunk you were.

Remember!Remember!• Happy hours can be a great way to

get ahead, but save the tequila shots for a night out with friends.

• Leave with everyone feeling they know you a bit better but that you aren't that different from the way you are at work

• Which is professional, good-natured, hard-working and respectful, right?

ResourcesResources• Hitting Happy Hour Can Help Your Career by Kate Lorenz,

CareerBuilder.com Editor • Happy Hour: The Work Buzz By CareerBuilder blogger on

Jun 26, 2008 • Happy hour: career friend or foe? By Patrick Erwin,

CareerBuilder.com writer • How much is too much at happy hour? By Nadir A. Hira, The

Gig cnn.com