Work party disaster who was at fault

[Heredakh]

A company is reaching an important milestone in its history and planning an event. Small company of about 50 people.

Event is dinner then entertainment and drinks/ dancing at a hired venue. Ahead of the event, colleagues are told what to expect, that some clients will be there too and to therefore enjoy but behave accordingly etc (it was implied not to get blind drunk but not explicitly said)

Colleague A is relatively new to the business and still in probation but doing good job. They are told about the event like everyone else.

On the night the free booze is flowing like it often is at these kind of events and it becomes apparent colleague A is enjoying the booze a lot but as this is their first time drinking in front of other colleagues, people aren't aware when to step in or that it could lead to big issues (some people can drink loads with no issue, some can't etc) plus everyone else is drinking too, although a bit more moderately.

As night wears on (when some people had already headed home) colleague A reveals themselves as quite a rude and obnoxious drunk, they offend a long standing client, an older colleague then vomit on senior leaders shoes.

Not sure how it played out beyond that but a few days later back at work there's an email that colleague A is no longer in the business.

I've been shocked by the whole thing and wondering who was more at fault? Should colleague A have curbed the drinking on the night or should company not have had so much free alcohol on offer? Its a recipe for disaster if you don't know when to stop drinking but equally moderate drinkers are entitled to some free drinks to enjoy themselves surely?

YABU - the company's free booze is to blame, its a recipe for disaster that they should have seen coming

YANBU - colleague A should have acted accordingly and known when to stop at a work event

It's colleague A fault but I'm surprised nobody set the tone prior and said clients will be present therefore enjoy yourself but it's still a work event especially if they were young!

I have a 2 drink rule for work events unless I'm out with friends from work which is different from a work event.

I disagree. Because I've been on work nights out.

And there's a lot of peer pressure from other colleagues to people to drink more And more.

Last time I was on a work night out people tried to buy me shots three times.

I've also seen the more experienced colleagues encourage the newer colleagues to get drunk and make a fool of themselves,

as it is fun for the more experienced colleagues.

A free bar is always a recipe for disaster, work events, weddings I’ve seen it go so wrong as some people will go wild.
Any colleague should be able to know their own limits and I’m sure this is a very hard earned lessons for poor colleague A, but I’d hope your company might reassess the free flowing poison next time, a welcome drink is plenty and reigns everyone right in!

A was at fault - if I got so drunk I was obnoxious to multiple people and insulted a major client I would expect my job to be at risk. Vomiting on the manager's shoes is both not great and hilarious, but not as bad work-wise as insulting the client. If the clients weren't there they probably would've kept their job with a warning, horrific hangover and mortification that would take a long time to shake.

However the firm were idiots to invite clients to an event with an all-night free bar. Hopefully next time they'll be smarter about it and do two separate events - one for staff and one for clients.

The OP literally says in her first post that they were told clients would be present, and to behave accordingly.

I have a business and I would never, ever have a free bar for all staff with clients present. It’s a recipe for disaster.
We have events for all staff with a free bar with no clients. Occasionally someone gets shitfaced but generally, no harm done.
We also do corporate events with select staff (who are client facing in their daily role and know how to behave) and clients. Never any problems, other than occasional shitfaced clients, but that’s a different thread!
The business should have known better than to mix free booze with all staff and colleague A will have learnt a valuable lesson.

But do you know they were sacked?

It could be that they were so mortified they quit? It wouldn't seem that far fetched that they might never want to face anyone again and given what happened with the client, the company is happy not to hold them to any kind of notice.

Yeah, this.
I'm torn, so haven't voted.
On the one hand it's daft having a free bar at a serious work do, but on the other hand it's absolutely personal responsibility not to get shitfaced and obnoxious in front of your bosses/colleagues at a work do!
As you say harsh lesson to learn but doubt they'll do it again in a hurry

@Carly944 - If it's a work event, work rules 100% apply. That's very common.

I think it's a bit old hat to ply people with enormous amounts of booze, especially youngsters, but it's still the responsibility of the individual, and they can definitely be subject to disciplinary action if they cross the line.

I agree it all seems a bit outdated culture now.

The only people pushing for excessive informal socialising with colleagues now seem to be creeps or weirdos or people with an established friend group at work.

Sorry, I know some people do enjoy these events and it's probably my age kicking in...

(Equally, colleagues who don't drink for religious or medical reasons can feel absolutely horrendous and awkward and like they aren't making a good impression).

As a recovering alcoholic I still think it's the employees fault. I have a professional job where people have a certain image of me. I don't know if you ex colleague is an alcoholic or just had a night of poor judgement.

Before I stopped drinking though I barely drank at work dos, if at all. Now I'm not saying I didn't go home and drink a full bottle of wine 'because I'd been so good' but I knew I had to behave, work events are an extension of being at work

Absolutely colleague's fault, no-one was forcing them to drink.

But it's also utterly ridiculous for a company to have an unlimited free bar like that. People, sadly, can't be trusted. Cases of sexual assault and idiotic behaviour have gone up since Covid. As a company, just don't put yourself in that position.

While A absolutely is at fault and like others have said, this will be a harsh lesson, I think the company needs to learn from this as well (especially seeing as you say something similar has happened before). Someone senior could be responsible for cutting off a drunk employee and making sure they get safely home before they make this kind of scene in front of clients. As important as individual responsibility is, surely they also want to safeguard their staff but also their professional reputation.

I suggest that while there are issues of personal responsibility there is also an employers one.

Clearly organising an event with free drink carries obvious risks, what steps were taken to mitigate them (answer, none)

It's U to have free-flowing booze at an event with clients.

We had two staff members die due to un limited company provision of booze one year at different events. Went to an X amount of drink tickets per person after that which was fiddleable but not so easy to go mad
dreadful shame. Mixed blame

Your ex-colleague is responsible for their actions. But I do find it odd to have a free bar when behaviour and reputation was so important to the boss. Why risk that? The effect of alcohol is no secret.

I blame colleague B

There was clients of the company there they and the colleague offended a long standing client. They are still representing the company I've never been a fan of binge drinking anyway. People have to take some responsibility.

It's not people being "woke" or "politically correct" to say the employer is partly to blame, FFS, it's current employment law.

The employer has a duty of care to the employee if it's a work event.

I think everyone should know how they behave when drunk and so they should have known they may act like a bit of a twat and limit there drinks.

For example, I know when I drink more than 3 drinks I get super tired to the point I will pass out and not wake up so if I'm out I would never have more than 2 drinks to be sure I don't make a tit of myself

Although it is absolutely the colleagues fault. I genuinely feel for him as I drink more in situations like this to help with anxiety and its very easy to go to far especially when your young. I think firing him was a bit harsh

This post shows everything that is wrong in our society.
How on earth would the company be at fault?
Person A is a grown adult and should behave accordingly. An adult should take personal responsibility for their actions, I'm guessing nobody forced them to get drunk against their will therefore the only person to blame is them.
This culture where we look to blame others for our own bad behaviour is absolving adults of any responsibility for their actions

Oh please. Nobody puts a drink in your mouth except yourself. If you can't have any self control then that's on you. No one else managed to do that did they?

Yeah how awful it is that we have employment laws to protect employees 🙄