Whilst nearly half of Brits think it is acceptable to have one alcoholic drink over lunch, the majority of our European counterparts believe itís unacceptable at any time.
Do you have any boozy lunches planned during the run up to Christmas? If the answer is yes, you are one of the very few Europeans who feel it is acceptable to have a drink during office hours, according to Monsterís latest survey!
The Monster Meter asked, Is it acceptable to have an alcoholic drink during the working day? 2,158 Brits placed a vote, revealing:
46% (1,003) - One glass of wine or beer is acceptable at lunchtime
38% (814) - No, it would be inappropriate
10% (207) - Yes, people in my office often drink at lunchtime
6% (134) - Yes, especially in the lead up to Christmas
Overall results for 23,716 Europeans reveal:
57% (13,421) - No, it would be inappropriate
28% (6,558) - One glass of wine or beer is acceptable at lunchtime
8% (2,003) - Yes, people in my office often drink at lunchtime
7% (1,734) - Yes, especially in the lead up to Christmas
These results might come as a surprise to us Brits, who have the highest number of respondents claiming that one drink is acceptable at lunch time - nearly half (46%). Considering that the European average percentage of people choosing this option is only 29%, the Brits stand out by miles! Interestingly, several countries appear to be split on this decision: France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Italy have equal numbers of respondents choosing the opposing options No, it would be inappropriate and One glass of wine or beer is acceptable at lunchtime.
In contrast, the majority of respondents in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany feel that any amount of alcohol during the working day is unacceptable - 86%, 80%, and 75% respectively. These steadfast sentiments do not change at Christmas-time - the European average of people who feel that a ífestiveí drink is the exception to the rule is only 8%. However, the Finns are more inclined to make an allowance - 12% say that a drink during the working day is acceptable, especially in the lead up to Christmas.
Clearly, a significant amount of Europeans have strong opinions on drinking during office hours, jarring with British attitudes. We can only put this down to fundamental differences in working cultures. Jan Davids, a Dutch advertising account executive comments During my first few weeks of working in London I went out for a team lunch - I was quite surprised when wine was ordered and most people had several glasses before returning to work in the afternoon. In the Netherlands, drinking and working are very much separate activities.
Most Brits would argue that there is no harm in having a drink every once in a while during lunchtime, as long as it doesnít affect your work in the afternoon. Some would even say that it is not rare to grab a beer at your desk if you are working late. In fact, the British drinking culture is also reflected in companies providing subsidised licensed bars within their premises. This is perhaps a hangover from the 1980s London City trader culture, where high stress levels and excessive drinking would go hand in hand.
Joe Slavin, managing director, Monster.co.uk advises, Make sure you know the company policy on drinking during office hours. If in doubt, err on the side of caution, and limit drinking to after hours and events like the office Christmas party, when you know youíll be on the safer side!
The results of the current Monster Meter are based on votes cast by Monster users in Europe 27th October - 10th November 2003. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. The Monster Meter, a product of Monster, the leading global online careers site and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), is a series of online polls that gauge usersí opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. Anyone interested in voting in Monsterís current online poll may do so by logging onto Monster.com at
Boozy Brits toast office hours drinking
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