Workplace Drinking - Group Discussion

This week I'm facilitating a discussion between three fabulous ladies - all working in the sobriety space.

  Isabella Ferguson: Former litigation lawyer turned counselor and coach specializing in stress, burnout, and alcohol.

  Kathryn: Former PR and media professional now running her own coaching business, focusing on coaching high-performing individuals with problematic alcohol relationships - her personal story is here.

  Nikki: Former corporate worker in London, now a certified life and leadership coach incorporating mindfulness into her coaching, particularly addressing alcohol addiction - her personal story is here.

In this episode:-

We discussed the prevalence of alcohol culture in corporate environments, including pressure to participate in after-work drinking events and networking activities centered around alcohol.
We shared personal anecdotes, highlighting the normalization of excessive drinking in professional settings and its detrimental effects on mental health, self-esteem, and productivity.
Those anecdotes included a story of going into the office after a couple of hours sleep, me getting a career tip from my boss to drink in the BBC club more often and my personal favorite from Nikki – the sandwich man coming round at 11am with his hangover cure snacks.
We reflected on how hangovers were viewed as a badge of honor, especially among high-functioning individuals striving to prove their capabilities despite their heavy drinking.
In spite of the fact that women cannot physically drink as much as the guys without seriously damaging their health there was pressure to keep up with male counterparts in drinking culture to gain approval and fit into workplace environments.
As high functioning alcoholics we convince ourselves to keep the show on the road – both professionally and personally – this comes at a huge cost to our mental and physical health
One of the (many) benefits of an alcohol free lifestyle is that we can redirect that energy towards positive endeavors
We all have a sense of changing attitudes towards alcohol in the workplace, as companies take more proactive measures in addressing alcohol-related issues among employees.
There is a shift towards promoting workplace wellness and inclusivity for non-drinkers
Initiatives like Kathryn & Isabella's 30-day workplace wellness challenge to raise awareness about alcohol's impact
The 30 day wellness challenge is surfacing a much need dialogue about alcohol in corporates
There is a need for comprehensive alcohol policies in the workplace
If these policies are carefully worded, produced in consultation with employees they can help to bring about a culture change
However they must address the issue without shame and offering support – otherwise the danger is that they will drive the drinking culture underground
Education is the key tool in changing attitudes towards alcohol
If ambitious executives realised that they could be 30% more effective if they ditched the booze many of them would do it!
Even if alcohol doesn’t destroy us it will prevent us from reaching our potential – most employees and certainly all corporates want people to be working at their full potential
The key is a recognition of sobriety as a strength rather than a weakness
Contact information for Isabella, Kathryn, and Nikki is below:-
isabellaferguson.au.com 
Kathryn is at thealcoholmindsetcoach.com
Nicci is at metta365.com
Please contact them directly if you think your company could benefits from their input

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