6 Work Happy Hour Examples That Don't Center Around Alcohol
Ahhh the happy hour… perhaps the best and worst invention of the 20th century workplace. Isn’t it crazy, we voluntarily pay for our own food and drinks to voluntarily hang out with our work colleagues to voluntarily talk about work, after work??- FOR FREE!?
We do. And we do it a lot. Alcohol.org surveyed 3,800 Americans and, of those who said after work happy hours were part of their workweek, the average amount spent was almost $58 a week. That’s a $3,000 annual happy hour budget.
So why do we do it? Well for the most part, people like connecting and getting to know their work colleagues and somehow, doing that outside the normal grind of work is easier and dare I even say more fun? But is a traditional, go to a bar after work, style of happy hour inclusive to all?
What Is An Inclusive Work Happy Hour?
Well, simply, an inclusive work happy hour is accessible and welcoming to all. For many folks, there are medical, religious, social or personal reasons to not drink and going to environments centering around drinking are not massively inclusive for them. Or perhaps people can’t make after work opportunities due to childcare. And then there is the money… Do you have 3k a year dedicated to “getting to know your co-workers” line item in your personal budget or would you rather take that vacation to Florida?
This article is not about shaming those of us (myself included) who love a good, cheap drink at a local pub or brewery happy hour. This is to consider perspectives outside your own and to consider what are ways we can facilitate opportunities of… well, happy-hours at work that are more inclusive.
1. Morning Coffee Happy Hours
Some of my favorite memories in my first job were having morning beverages with my work colleagues. There were three of us in a single-person style office, to say it was a “tight fit” was an understatement. We worked at a hospital and in the morning, we’d get in, check emails/voicemails, make sure the place wasn’t on fire and spend 15 minutes getting coffee and tea each morning.
When I tell you this was the only calm and quiet part of our day, I’m not kidding. Emotions ran high, space was tight and everything was an emergency but somehow, I grew closer to those coworkers and genuinely befriended them more so than any other job I’ve had since.
Those 15 minutes each and every morning were so critical to our mental and emotional health, eventually it became integrated into my holistic well-being routine. Between a high stressed, high stakes job and intentional bonding and connectivity, these easily became some of the best colleagues I’ve ever worked with and the best example of true teamwork I’ve ever experienced.
2. Walking Buddies
Ok, hear me out. I’m not much of a walker but I even recognize the benefits of physical mobility in our work and holistic health. In my last job, there were two women who worked in different departments but always walked together at lunch. They had very little interaction through work but were the best of friends and “walking buddies” at work.
Walking and talking are such great ways to bring people together in a simple activity. It’s important to recognize walking isn’t accessible to everyone so be aware of the type of physical activity you are asking people to join you in to ensure there are opportunities for all.
3. Podcast or Book Club
Listening to podcasts and/or reading books is a great way to bring people together, dialogue, grow and bond without super serious work expectations. You can meet in the morning for coffee, in the afternoon for lunch or perhaps even the last hour of the work day… timing and beverage/food choice doesn't really matter, it’s just about bringing people together.
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4. Coloring/Drawing/Painting- Anything Creative!
There is loads of therapeutic evidence to suggest coloring and other similar types of activities for adults is good for us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Coloring for example is also a very low cost activity that nearly anyone can afford. You can even color on iPad programs that are designed for users with limited mobility- which again, is a great way to be inclusive!
5. Meditation or Silent Activities
For many, work is a hot bed of one stimulated activity after another and the last thing we want to do at the end of a long stimulated work day is be more stimulated. I went to a conference once that started each day with a centering and grounded yoga class and ended the day with a 15 minute body scan meditation to help participants decompress from the day. It was AWESOME.
As career professionals, we are often running from one obligation to the next. To be given permission to simply rest and be with ourselves for 15 minutes? Wow, it makes a huge difference and honestly, opens up the conversation on how we can help support each other and ourselves as human beings in the workplace. You really bond with your team when you know what is important to them and how you can best support them.
6. JUST ASK!
The key to being inclusive is listening. Listen to the needs of those around you and create opportunities for all voices, views and perspectives to be heard, seen and taken into consideration. If you’re running out of ideas for happy hours, ask folks what they want!
You don’t need to have all the answers or suggestions, just being open and inclusive of other folks is usually enough for people to feel comfortable enough to volunteer ideas. If you create opportunities for people to be included, they usually will participate.
Virtual Opportunities
With many work teams going virtual, creating virtual opportunities for folks to connect is becoming increasingly important and vital to team success. Most of the above activities can be done virtually with a little prep and intentionality.
I know someone who works exclusively from home and takes a one hour walk each morning. He books two, 30 minute “walk & connect” chats (informational interviews) as social, networking conversations with folks within his current company, within his network and folks he is just simply inspired by or aspires to be.
He finds these conversations energizing and inspiring and a simple way to stay connected to other human beings as he works pretty exclusively alone each day. Virtual work gives us a lot of space to manage ourselves, time and energy as we see fit, but I encourage you to not lose sight of the value of people in your work.
Taking 10, 20 or 30 minutes a day to connect with someone could mean a potential job opportunity or promotion or simply just making a very good ally or friend within the organization. As remote career professionals, it’s important to build in time to earn social capital and strengthen your network to help you in your Professional Development Plan. Remember, it’s not about what you know but who you know! So get to networking!
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Meet The Writer!
Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com
