Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think sacking someone for drinker idiocy at the Christmas party is a bit harsh?

105 replies

andapartridgeinaRowantree · 21/12/2012 23:06

DH works for a company which put on an annual Christmas shebang with free drinks all night. It's for staff and big clients.

A colleague got drunk and was warned a couple of times to calm down.

He then did the caterpillar and cracked his two front teeth.

Returned to work and was told to pack his desk. He was not a permanent staff member.

Is it me or is this a bit harsh?

OP posts:
bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 22/12/2012 09:28

I have thought about this.

The man is an adult. The company shouldn't have to stop having a free bar because he is a dick that can't control himself.

They have got rid of him to make a point. A very valid point. I have known a few people be sacked over work dos social and client based.

This man is an adult. He knew there were clients, he knew how much he was drinking and he was warned.

He should have to be told not to get hammered or be on his best behaviour. If you need to be told that, then you are not a professional person.

I worked in a call centre and would be really worried if I had to pre warn my staff about being dicks.

YouCanBe · 22/12/2012 09:37

I'm not really sympathetic.
You should be able to differentiate between appropriate times to get wasted, and inappropriate times, as a professional.
Or, not drink at all.

Sirzy · 22/12/2012 09:40

He should have known that if it was for clients aswell it wasn't really a "get pissed and make a fool of yourself" type event and restricted his alcohol intake (and behaviour) accordingly.

BlingLoving · 22/12/2012 09:45

Yabu. Just because drinks are free does not mean that everyone needs to get so drunk they embarrass themselves and the company. I actually find the attitude of, "oh, it's the Christmas party so we should all be able to go a bit crazy" really annoying. Getting a bit merry is one thing, doing inappropriate things or making offensive comments is entirely another.

Allergictoironing · 22/12/2012 09:47

Any decent contractor knows that the company you are working for at the time IS your client! It's one thing if you are mates with some of the permanent staff and go out drinking with them, but a company party fully paid for by them is an "official" event and as such you need to bear in mind that they are your customers and you need to show at least some respect.

MrsJREwing · 22/12/2012 09:49

I temember going to a certain free booze bar years back. We were all well behaved and a little bored. My friend went up to the bar and ordered two bottles of champers, she said to a few of us, grab your coats the party is moving to mine, put the bottles under her coat and off we went, I was 20 at the time.

MorrisZapp · 22/12/2012 09:54

It's a swan dive, not a caterpillar.

Seems a bit mean to give free booze then complain when people get drunk. If he had been offensive then fine, but drunken arsery shouldn't really be a sacking issue.

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 22/12/2012 09:57

Seems a bit mean to give free booze then complain when people get drunk.

I really don't get this. what part of 'free bar' means 'get wasted and make a twat of yourself' or 'you are no longer expected to make a decision as an adult and are absolved of all responsibility'.

SetPhasersTaeMalkie · 22/12/2012 09:59

Totally agree brady.

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 22/12/2012 10:06

What will happen is the company will stop providing a free bar, so then everyone else who shows a bit of professionalism and can control themselves misses out.

And as for feeling sorry for him because he has a family, maybe he should have thought about that the first (or even second) time he was warned.

I can imagine his wifes aibu. DH comes home pissed and toothless, covered in blood. Then gets the sack.

Pan · 22/12/2012 10:12

I'd imagine if he was a super-performer in work (better than the caterpillar) he wouldn't have been sacked. How much of making an arse of himself gets measured against his value to the company.
Or something like that.

ItsaTIARA · 22/12/2012 10:18

True Pan. An acquaintance of mine knocked someone out at the Xmas do in an argument in which he was entirely to blame. But he was pulling in millions in income do he didn't even get a slap on the wrist. Once his results started to slip however he was out the door in minutes.

DeckSwabber · 22/12/2012 10:18

It is terrible for him but as there were clients present I am afraid I am not surprised.

My work Christmas party had important stakeholders present this year so we had to behave - I had one drink and went home soon after the important people had left. We had a departmental lunch as well and we could let our hair down a bit then.

JenaiMathis · 22/12/2012 10:26

It really all depends on the line of work and the culture of that specific organisation.

Nobody would bat an eyelid at that behaviour where I work, contractor or permanent, but then we wouldn't have a party like that with customers or suppliers (who are just as important as customers for us) present.

The only repercussions would be Mr Rocksteady having the piss taken out of him for ever and ever and ever.

Anifrangapani · 22/12/2012 10:26

Pan of course it was a business based decision. If the reputational cost was greater to the company than the cost of replacement then the person will be replaced.
Getting drunk while clients are about is such a no no. It is a work context and therefore you are working. It would be unacceptable to go to a meeting after having so much to drink that you couldn't make a decision. Just because this was at night does not make it a social event.

Pagwatch · 22/12/2012 10:28

If it was the office party I would thinkit was harsh.

But it was a party for clients too so he is damaging the image/reputation of the company.
He was being really really stupid getting wasted in front of clients.

JenaiMathis · 22/12/2012 10:28

I err on the side of it being harsh though. And I love Morris's breakdancing pedantry Xmas Grin

TheLightPassenger · 22/12/2012 10:33

I am on the harsh side too. yeah he was warned, and yeah it was in front of clients, but the whole client entertaining side mixed with booze on tap isn't an easy line to navigate, and he only seems to have harmed himself.

Pan · 22/12/2012 10:35

yes, 'harsh', or any other judgement, doesn't come into it, does it?

LoopsInHoops · 22/12/2012 10:35

Who the bloody hell invited clients to a work xmas party?

Pagwatch · 22/12/2012 10:35

The other thing that's harsh is that not one of his fiends apparently noticed he was being warned for his behaviour,was pissed beyond reason and making poor decisions.
I would like to think one of my mates would have put me in a cab.

RacHoHoHog · 22/12/2012 10:46

I don't think it was harsh. If the client is present then you have to see it as work and behave accordingly.

specialsubject · 22/12/2012 10:55

YABU. Only in the UK is being drunk seen as an excuse. In the more civilised world it is an aggravating circumstance.

bloke guzzled too much booze. His fault. Lesson learned.

financialwizard · 22/12/2012 11:31

I have been to many of these types of bashes. Only on one occasion did I get drunk, and even then I was only slightly merry. The only reason I could get away with that is because the client I was 'entertaining' pole dancing was also quite a good friend of mine and joined in with the entertainment pole dancing

In my defence on that one occasion it was the client that suggested the activity.

financialwizard · 22/12/2012 11:32

Meant to add yabu. The 'temp' should have acted more professionally.

Swipe left for the next trending thread