1. 11/24/2014 Happy hour -- career friend or foe? - CNN.com
Powered by
Happy hour ­­career
friend or foe?
Story Highlights
Happy hour can be an important tool in creating a bond between co­workers
One in five workers attends happy hour at least once a month, survey shows
Survey reveals incidents where happy hour crashed and burned
Co­worker
says to pretend happy hour is the "branch office" to stay proper
By Patrick Erwin
CareerBuilder.com writer
The term "happy hour" may have been created by the U.S. Navy to describe a designated period of time for entertainment and
refreshment.
Of course, happy hour has long since become a universal catchphrase. People around the world know it as a time to unwind and
imbibe after a long day of work.
But for some workers, their concept of "unwinding" can land them in hot water. Cynthia,* the CEO for a gourmet gift business,
recalls one employee who was full of surprises.
"Several years ago, I hired a new employee around holiday time. I took my staff out for happy hour, hiring two limousines. After a
drink or two, I was looking for the new employee so we could present her with keys to the office, a welcome ritual we do for
management. I found her in the limousine, with the driver, getting very 'acquainted' on my Burberry Coat!"
Get happy
Happy hour is intended to be jovial and relaxing, and can be an important tool in creating a bond between groups of co­workers.
But, despite good intentions, there are some "unhappy hours" where the good times go bad.
A recent CareerBuilder.com survey offers a snapshot of our happy hour habits. Here's what it found out about our post­work
festivities:
• One in five workers attends happy hour festivities with co­workers
at least once a month.
• Eighty­two
percent go to bond with co­workers,
while 11 percent go specifically for quality time with the boss.
• Fifteen percent 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 survey revealed a number of incidents and events where a worker's happy hour experience went from smooth sailing to crash
and burn.
• Sixteen percent of those who responded said that they talked negatively or inappropriately about a co­worker
or manager.
• Ten percent said they shared a secret or confidence about a co­worker.
• Eight percent kissed one of their co­workers,
and another 8 percent admitted that they drank too much and acted
unprofessionally.
• A surprising 5 percent breached a confidence or secret about the company.
• And 4 percent of workers admitted, with regret, that they sang karaoke.
http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=-1&title=Happy+hour+--+career+friend+or+foe%3F+-+CNN.com&urlID=532101362&action=cpt&partnerID=… 1/3

2. 11/24/2014 Happy hour -- career friend or foe? - CNN.com
The good ­­and
the bad
In some instances, letting your guard down in a misty haze of dim lighting and alcohol can actually be a positive. It can break the
ice and ultimately break through communication barriers.
Bruce Kasanoff, now the president of personal development firm The Goal Mine, recalls a scenario when he was in college. He
worked for some intimidating, strong­willed
bosses doing stage crew work in the university's theater. At the end of the first season,
the crew had a happy hour at the local pub.
Kasanoff, emboldened by a generous helping of liquid courage, approached one of his bosses and announced that he wanted to
be the lighting designer. "She challenged me in a manner halfway between serious questioning and lighthearted flirting, as in: Do
you think the likes of YOU can handle a big role like that? But eventually she looked long and hard at me, and said, 'OK, next
season.'"
There are times where happy hour doesn't stay happy and things spin out of control. Most of us are levelheaded and responsible
even if we are a little tipsy, but some people can lose their inhibitions ­­and
their self­control
­­when
they are in party mode.
In the situation Cynthia described, she had to take control when her employee had clearly lost her self­control.
"She was
terminated on the spot, and I deducted the dry cleaning of my coat from her first and final paycheck."
Sometimes, lack of inhibition just leads to uncomfortable misunderstandings. Christopher, who works in advertising, recalls asking
one of his female co­workers,
Susan, if another employee in the company with the same last name was her father.
The team members found this amusing, but Susan was not amused. The situation quickly snowballed into a comedy of errors.
Another co­worker
grabbed a microphone from the DJ booth and announced that Susan had "daddy issues" to the entire bar ­­co­workers
and all.
Here are some guidelines for keeping happy hour happy, while keeping your job safe and secure!
Be 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. Have a mid­afternoon
meal or snack so that you are not drinking on an empty stomach. Take a
limited amount of money, too, so you can avoid the temptation to spend more (and drink more).
Draw the line
If your happy hour is always with the same group of co­workers,
talk to each other and make sure you are clear about what will
happen. Different co­workers
may have different priorities, so figure out what works for all of you. Make sure any new "members"
know what kind of vibe you and your co­workers
enjoy when you get your happy hour on.
Pay as you go
To avoid misunderstandings or hurt feelings, the best practices policy is to pay for your own drinks. There are times that you will
make exceptions (a co­worker
birthday or going­away
party, for example) but in general, paying for your own drinks avoids
anyone feeling left out and avoids the perception of favoritism, which is especially important if you manage or supervise staff.
Drinking is not a team sport
Some workplace environments may be incredibly competitive. Avoid the urge to match co­workers
drink for drink or shot for shot.
(Buying your own drinks helps in this regard, too.) If your team is in it for the long haul, or intends to be out all night, alternate the
booze with some non­alcoholic
drinks.
Keep busy
Pick a place with some recreational options, like pool, darts or video games. You can hit happy hour in a bar that has electronic
trivia games, which requires users to stay on their toes. You can also try having happy hour in non­traditional
places that serve
alcohol; a bowling alley offers libations while keeping everyone focused and involved in the fun.
Maintain the "branch office"
The best advice I ever got from someone about socializing with co­workers
was from a co­worker
who retired after 40 years of
service. He had a lot of colorful stories to tell, but he told me once that he always thought of any event where he socialized with
co­workers
as being in the "branch office".
http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=-1&title=Happy+hour+--+career+friend+or+foe%3F+-+CNN.com&urlID=532101362&action=cpt&partnerID=… 2/3

3. 11/24/2014 Happy hour -- career friend or foe? - CNN.com
He avoided crossing any lines or violating any of the company policies. It may be tempting to say that "whatever happens at
happy hour stays at happy hour," but friction and upheaval can spill over into the office and create problems for everyone
involved.
*Some last names withheld to protect the guilty.
COPYRIGHT CAREERBUILDER.COM 2009. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE
MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORITY
All AboutJobs and Labor • Beer • Wine
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/07/28/cb.happy.hour/index.html?iref=allsearch
Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.
ֺ 2008 Cable News Network
http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=-1&title=Happy+hour+--+career+friend+or+foe%3F+-+CNN.com&urlID=532101362&action=cpt&partnerID=… 3/3