Does your company provide employees with alcohol at events that are related to work? If this is something that your company does you have likely thought about whether or not this is good practice. While you want your employees to enjoy themselves at these parties and events, you also want to make sure that you keep them safe. In addition, you want to minimize your risks so that you do not have to worry about legal issues in regard to the relationship with your employees. No matter what type of event that your company is having, from a milestone birthday to a holiday event or retirement party, following these tips can help create an event that is alcohol safe.

Discuss Company Culture

Before the event takes place make sure that you discuss the company culture with your employees. You should emphasize the fact that excessive drinking is not acceptable during a company event. You should include alcohol usage guidance in your code of conduct. Some good rules to include are never drink alcohol during an interview, lunch drinking is discouraged, and drinking with a client is only okay if the client is drinking. Drinking with a customer or client should be limited to one beer or glass of wine.

Serve Food and Offer Entertainment

When alcohol is being served at an event, food should be served as well. Food should be served at the beginning of the event so that employees are not drinking on an empty stomach. In addition, you should provide a number of interesting non-alcoholic beverages so that the emphasis is not on alcohol.

Eating and drinking should not be the main focus of any type of event. You should make the speeches, presentations, entertainment, etc. the main point of interest of the event. Games, dancing, and other activities that encourage participation are also great for team building events for a company.

Rules to Consider

When serving alcohol at an event you may want to consider serving only beer and wine. Try not to serve a punch type alcoholic beverage as this makes it more difficult to determine how much alcohol a person is drinking.

Use drink tickets or an informal method to track the amount of alcohol that is served at the event. You may also limit the amount of time that the bar is open. The bar can be closed during dinner and then closed at a time that will signal the event is almost over.

Trained bartenders should be used to serve alcohol. You should not allow your employees to serve their co-workers and there should not be a help yourself drink bar that includes alcohol. Bartenders should know that they are not to serve any more alcohol to someone that already appears intoxicated.

Alcohol can be a great way to add an air of festivity to any company event. However, company culture, employee guidelines, and a little bit of planning can ensure that your employees are kept safe during event.