Lawyers call for less boozy work events over bullying and harassment fears

Report cites young staff feeling ‘pressure to consume alcohol to show that they can fit in with the team’

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Junior lawyers have complained about alcohol-fuelled work events, claiming they can encourage instances of bullying and sexual harassment.

In a new report published by the junior division of the Law Society, which represents 140,000 lawyers and solicitors in England and Wales, authors pointed to several areas where “unhealthy approaches to alcohol consumption” have a negative impact on productivity, inclusivity and overall health and wellbeing.

The report states that young staff or aspiring lawyers have felt “pressure to consume alcohol to show that they can fit in with the team, socialise well and secure their future career progression”.

Meanwhile, the report adds that when facing pressure from senior members of staff, such behaviour could be construed as workplace bullying.

The report goes on to cite research from the International Bar Association, which found that many instances of workplace harassment and bullying involve alcohol.

“This is particularly concerning in light of the statistic that one in three female lawyers reports being subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace,” the report adds.

The report also explains how alcohol-fuelled events at work can make people feel excluded given that they may not drink due to personal reasons or religious beliefs.

“It is detrimental to the career progression of lawyers, development of teams and relationships with clients, if those who opt not to drink are excluded from events (or leave early) that would otherwise allow them to build business relationship and strengthen bonds with their teams.”

In order to address the problem, the Law Society is calling for work events involving alcohol, such as wine-tasting evenings, be replaced with sober activities, such as pizza-making or escape rooms.

The report also suggests refraining from labelling events involving alcohol as “drinks” so as to combat the expectation that guests will be consuming alcohol.

“Alternatively, if your event is called ‘drinks’, then you can include a line in the invitation to flag that a variety of non-alcoholic options will be available,” it suggests.

Having a firm alcohol policy in place could help, too, the report says.

“Most recognise that a culture change needs to come from the top of any organisation and it is important that leaders embrace a healthy workplace and explain to workforces (and clients) why a serious approach to alcohol is required.

“In a world where we are familiar with books full of policies, a brief handout on the firm’s approach to alcohol, which includes the above strategies, is a great start.”