An article in this weekends ‘Financial Times’ highlights a problem facing one of Australia’s largest banks.
‘ANZ considers alcohol ban after bouts of trading floor drunkenness.’
The article says ANZ is launching a review on whether it should ban staff from drinking alcohol during working hours. Three traders had left the bank recently and another has been issued with a formal warning after being drunk at work.
In front of a parliamentary committee, the ANZ CEO said that a ban on alcohol during working hours was being considered, not just for the trading floor, but across the entire bank. This was part of an overhaul of its culture. He went on to say, ‘the bank was determined to complete a ‘drains up’ review to restore its reputation. I am very disappointed.’
There are precedents for organisations banning drinking. In 2017, for example, Lloyds of London banned their staff from drinking during office hours.
All this brought to mind an article in a national newspaper that I read years ago.
A young person in his first job was stopped by police when riding his motor bike home after going to the pub with his new colleagues. His distraught mother contacted the newspaper to say her son had never drunk before he started work – his new team went drinking most days and her son only did it now because he felt it was the way to fit in.
The days of the ‘liquid lunch’ are clearly over.
But, where should the line be drawn?
Is a total ban on drinking alcohol during working hours the right solution?
Or is it acceptable for an employee to go out with a cline for lunch and have a glass of wine?
Is it OK for staff have a beer in the office before going home on a Friday or to celebrate a colleague’s birthday or say goodbye to someone leaving?
How would you feel if, when thinking about whether to accept a new role, you heard on the grapevine that your new team has a ‘drinking culture?’
Comments