Workplace Drinking Is Back, But With a Catch

Drinking on the job is back.

Or at least, that's what startups like Yelp and Twitter are promoting. Bloomberg's Businessweek reports that Yelp's headquarters in San Francisco is not only equipped with "a keg refrigerator" but it also "supplies its employees with an endless supply of beer."

What's the catch, besides the picture of perpetual hangovers and fraternity fests?

"In order to help keep folks drinking responsibly, everyone who drinks the beer must check in on an iPad, which records every ounce they take." And the logic is that because you don't really want to be on the top of that list very often, workplace drinking remains a privilege yet to be abused.

Not to be confused with images from Mad Men, the Bloomberg piece quotes a Twitter spokesperson saying, "We treat employees as adults, and they act accordingly."

These are just two examples, and ones that can easily be attributed to the work culture of small companies and entrepreneurial setups, which often tend to prescribe to a recipe of long hours and flexible days. But they also represent a large population of today's workforce.

So, is a generational trend of socializing, flexible work schedules, and a workplace culture that promotes freedom over regimental processes, bringing booze back to today's workplace?

Should it?

Leave a comment, email In Good Company or connect on Twitter. Does your company offer endless alcohol in the interest of higher productivity and committed employees?

Related:
Brewing Up Success: Career Advice From the Founder of Dogfish Head Beer
Managing Your Hangover at the Office