It seems, dear Foxy fans, we’ve finally been fingered. No, not in that way, this is a family publication, after all. Nope, this week it has become even more apparent that we are a dying breed.
How’s that, we hear you ask…is it because we cover direct marketing, a discipline that even the industry’s own trade body has abandoned? Nope, not this time. Or is it because we refuse to bow to the metaverse? Luckily, not that either. What about our insistence that direct mail is still alive and kicking? Getoutahere.
Sadly, it is much more serious. In fact, we’re talking about the Chartered Management Institute warning that Brits should cut down the amount of alcohol served at work social events to stop people from being inappropriate towards their colleagues.
It follows a new CMI poll which found that a third of managers have seen harassment or inappropriate behaviour at work parties (and not just their own). Apparently, two in five employees said they want work parties to be organised around activities that don’t involve alcohol, with those aged under 35 the most likely to feel this way (snowflakes).
Some bore at the CMI even suggested that socialising with colleagues was “a great team building opportunity” but that alcohol “doesn’t need to be the main event”.
They added: “That might mean adding additional activities alongside alcohol, limiting the amount of drinks available per person, or ensuring that people who are drinking too much are prevented from acting inappropriately towards others.”
But don’t these busy bodies realise that most of us need more than a few drinks to actually get through the working day, let alone a night out with our tedious bosses? Have they ever spent any time with McFatty and McThinner? (Not that I’ve actually clapped eyes on either for months.)
Isn’t life just a bit too short for all this nonsense? Whatever next…a ban on boozy business lunches, too? Yes, I know we’re not supposed to do them any more but many parts of this industry would literally grind to a halt if that ever came to pass, not to mention the loss of hundreds of jobs in the hospitality sector. As they say, so many lunches; so little time.
Of course, I’d be the first to concede that it’s tough work, but someone’s got to keep the economy going…
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