Half of young managers would rather alcohol-free work parties, poll finds

By Elaine McCallig, ITV News Digital Content Producer

Almost half of younger managers would rather attend work parties that do not involve alcohol, according to a new poll from the professional body for managers.

Some two in five (42%) managers in the UK agree that work parties should not be based around activities that involve alcohol, with women significantly more likely to agree than their male colleagues (46% and 37% respectively), the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) poll found.

Younger managers aged between 16 and 34 (48%) expressed a preference for alcohol-free work parties, along with 42% of those aged 35 to 54 and 36% of those aged 55 and over.

The pattern of younger people preferring alcohol-free work dos is complemented by recent NHS statistics which show that the number of non-drinkers in their late teens and early 20s has almost doubled between 2011 and 2021, jumping from 19% to 38%.

The CMI survey comes amid recent reports about allegations of serious misconduct and harassment at work drinks parties.

The poll found that almost one in three managers in the UK have witnessed "inappropriate behaviour or harassment at work parties"

Women were more likely than men to say they have witnessed inappropriate behaviour at work parties (33%) compared to men (26%), the poll shows.

Half (51%) of those surveyed said that they have not witnessed inappropriate behaviour or harassment at work parties.

Overall, three in four managers said they feel comfortable attending work parties and interacting with their colleagues, with only 13% disagreeing.

The majority (72%) of managers said parties are important for staff morale, but 10% disagreed.

CMI CEO Ann Francke said: “Socialising with colleagues is a great team building opportunity that many people understandably enjoy. But for managers, work ‘dos’ also come with a responsibility to make sure the 'don'ts' are kept in check."

Given one in three managers said they have witnessed harassment or inappropriate behaviour at work dos, "leaders might want to rethink what these social moments entail and ensure any necessary safeguards are in place", she suggested.

"That might mean adding additional activities alongside alcohol, limiting the amount of drinks available per person or ensuring that people who are drinking too much are prevented from acting inappropriately towards others," she said. “Younger people and women are more interested in social activities that do not involve alcohol, and that should also be taken into account when planning professional social gatherings.

"Booze doesn’t always need to be the main event.”

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