To ask what you’d think of a colleague drinking 0% beverages at work?

[intheheatofjuly]

Inspired by a LinkedIn post I’ve seen, not a situation I’m in! It’s really made me think because I suppose technically there is a marginal % of alcohol in them and they’re designed to mimic alcoholic drinks.

But in my mind it’s fine because it’s not alcohol! So I thought I’d ask

YABU - they’re not appropriate for the workplace.

YANBU - they’re basically just fizzy juice.

This depends very much on image. If being seen to be drinking on the job would be detrimental to the company image then its not ok. In a can, bottle or glass a 0% beer for example looks like any other beer. Also it leaves a smell on the breath which would be difficult to distinguish from an alcoholic beer.
If its being consumed in a customer facing environment and could be thought to be alcoholic then no.
If being consumed by someone who never gets seen by the clientel then not really an issue.

I would assume they where doing it for a reaction/attention.

Why would you want to taste beer while you're in a professional setting, working?

Sounds like the drinks companies need a marketing campaign challenging the majority's ridiculous and illogical opinions on this.

They could show people drinking their products in the office, after sport (its a good rehydration option) and at the park with DC and present the drinks for what they are - refreshing drinks that are more interesting than plain water but not full of sugar, artificial sweeteners or caffeine unlike just about everything else available.

Definitely! This is much more of a thing in Germany and I suspect the attitude to NA beers is quite different as a result. For example, "ERDINGER Alkoholfrei is often on hand after you cross the finish line at many running events. It is a natural, isotonic sports recovery drink that is low in calories and has a perfect balance of minerals and B-vitamins. It is also free from fat, cholesterol, chemicals and preservatives and low in sodium… a perfect natural isotonic recovery drink for everyday workout warriors and Olympic athletes alike." From ERDINGER Alkoholfrei: ‘The benefits of isotonic drinks’ - Ultra Runner Mag

Then again, alcoholic beer is seen as a much more acceptable thing to drink in moderation during the working day there. See builders showing up on site with beers for their lunch breaks, etc.

@TheSeventh "I think it's fine, wouldn't want to do my job sober but I'm not going to judge those who do."

You're not going to judge those who do their jobs sober! Please tell us what your job is.

Thats weird

Expensive & bad tasting?
I'm not paying for it so why should I care.

I’d think it was a bit odd, but there’s nothing actually wrong with it.

It can make you smell like you've been drinking though. I recently went to an event that was "dry" but I didn't realise. We hid DHs beer but my table were slightly embarrassed by my zero alcohol wine.

If it's client facing then they are going to smell of it. If it's just office based then it's a bit wanky and possibly deliberately so. Of course, it's the perfect cover smell for someone who drinks actual alcohol for breakfast or lunchtime beers...

I'd mention to HR you're worried they're using it to cover alcoholism.

I think it depends on the context. Obviously, on a really technical level, it is absolutely the same as drinking a lemonade. In fact, I’d much prefer a 0% lager to a Monster in terms of image.

Culturally, it’s very normal to drink AF drinks during the day in some places in Europe (also fine to drink alcoholic drinks in many of the same places).

I once had a colleague apologise for drinking a 0.0% lager during a Teams meeting. It was during one of those 30c days last summer and his home office was in his shed. He said it was the only cold drink left in the fridge and he was boiling. We were equal grade to each other and it was a very casual meeting. Would have been different if it was a junior colleague or a meeting with outside collaborators or something. Also he acknowledged it was maybe a bit weird.

That said, it’s a bit strange to make a big deal of it and for anyone else to know. I’m a recovering alcoholic. I used to drink alcoholic drinks during work back in the day. 😂 I didn’t go wafting around with my wine glass in hand. If I wanted to have an AF drink because I really wanted one (which personally I don’t during the work day), I’d just pour it into a glass and have it. I wouldn’t be pounding cans of 0.0% Stella at my desk one after the other. That does a little bit scream, I have a drinking problem and I’m struggling to cope.

I’d find someone drinking alcohol free beer at their desk at 10am a bit odd but wouldn’t think badly about them.

I have been in a call with a client drinking alcohol free beer, I didn’t even notice it but he did stare at the beginning of the call that it was non alcoholic.

Good question, it feels wrong but logically it's a soft drink. Maybe because I associate drinking with socialising and good times, and work is neither of those things.

How about a nicotine free vape? Is it ok to vape at your desk as long as you're not inhaling nicotine?

Is it?
Isn't it just meant to be sparkling apple juice?

Very much depends on the job surely, I work with people with learning difficulties and feel it would be very inappropriate because they wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell the difference between the alcohol ones and alcohol free ones. The young man I mainly work with can’t read for instance so he wouldn’t know it wasn’t alcohol. Assuming I told him it wasn’t he could then see the alcoholic version which to him would look identical in the shop and assume it was the one I had.
I would also feel that any job where you should be being a role model (teaching, youth work etc) to vulnerable people it wouldn’t be a good idea as it’s made to look like alcohol. However I would feel the same about thinks like Monster- drinking them while being presented as a role model isn’t a good idea.

If we are talking about at your desk then it I fear it comes across as hugely unprofessional. Hard to say why except I suppose the perception is that zero beers are for people who’d quite like to be drinking beer (i.e. on some level they’d quite like to be having alcohol)… perhaps not a good look at 11am on a Tuesday

It’s essentially fizzy water it’s better than energy drinks at work

My GP when I was a child would always offer my parents a sherry during my appointments if it was after midday. He had a decanter and glass set on a trolley.

As in, Appeltizer ? Or cracking open a 0% beer?

I don’t think it’s appropriate at work.

There may be people who are having their struggles with alcohol and they don’t need a reminder at the main place they can escape them.

Wait until after work.

I’d personally say no to vaping at the desk too, for the same reason, as well as the stink for others!!

The thought of my teachers drinking 0% coronas while teaching just made me laugh 😂

Vaping is completely different because other people have to breath in the clouds of weird smelling vapour.

I tried this last year just to try and wind up our CEO and tie him up in knots.

Sat at my desk with a can of Guinness 0 poured into a pint glass. It took until the 3rd can before he actually noticed at which point I got a "You can't drink that in here?" I pointed out it was non-alcoholic and he was still "But you can't...."

It sparked a really interesting conversation about why not and professional standard etc, which has had the effect that he's stopped coming in wearing sandals (and so isn't picking his feet at his desk! Which is a win.)

...but you wouldn't take a can of beer into work would you?... "bit different"