Kegs, fridges full of beer, shots of whiskey – it sounds like a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. But those things are actually becoming the norm at several cutting-edge employers.
Four companies in the Silicon Valley have said “Cheers!” to drinking on the job:
It’s not uncommon for employees at these companies to work late into the night. As a result, the companies have brought nightlife into the office to help employees achieve a better work/life balance, reported Bloomberg’s Businessweek.com.
Yelp: More like ‘Gulp’
The review website Yelp keeps a keg in the office at all times. Employees can drink as much as they want, although the booze is monitored.
Before every pour, workers must log into an iPad application that’s attached to the keg. It monitors every ounce an employee drinks. Those stats are then transferred to a leaderboard.
The thinking around the office: The top of the board is probably not the best place to be.
Celebrate good times
When Tello’s iPhone app hit Apple’s online store for the first time, everyone took a shot of whiskey.
Crowdflower, a company that provides labor-on-demand, keeps a fridge stocked with beer. It also gets kegs when it gathers its community of developers and users.
Even Twitter’s gotten in on the fun — keeping wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks on hand.
Now we know what you’re thinking: How can this possibly work? Wouldn’t it get out of hand eventually?
Spokespeople for the companies say it hasn’t been a problem. When you treat people like adults, they tend to act that way — so they say.
What do you say? Tell us what you think would happen if your company allowed employees to drink in the workplace. Share your thoughts in the Comments Box below.
