As a teetotaller in an alcohol distribution company, Mr Ryan Choo often receives a raised eyebrow or two from clients when he chooses to drink water instead of whisky at their meetings.
“Some venue owners that I meet will give the advice that if I don’t drink, it might be a bit difficult to survive in the industry,” the 26-year-old senior executive said.
Even though he recognises that drinking is a big part of his industry’s culture and might help him break the ice when he first meets clients, he is confident that he can build a good rapport with them without the need to drink.
“I believe that it doesn’t affect how well I can work or how well I can add value to their business. At the end of the day, the work speaks for itself. A job is a job.”
While Mr Choo has stood firm on his choice, other employees like him who do not drink alcohol for whatever reason may not always feel so confident about abstaining from alcohol in a social setting.
Video producer Julia Aziz, 28, does not drink because it goes against her religion and she orders apple juice during social gatherings at work instead.
Although she has never faltered on her beliefs in this area, she has wondered whether her clients would have a better impression of her and she would be able to “connect” better with them if she did partake in social drinking at events.
Human resource (HR) experts told CNA TODAY said that certain industries such as sales, financial services, advertising and entertainment have more prominent drinking cultures because these businesses require clients to be entertained. And in other work settings, employers or employees view events with access to alcohol as an opportunity to bond with their colleagues or customers.
Mr David Blasco, country director at recruitment agency Randstad Singapore, said that it is common for non-drinkers to feel pressured to conform to the norm at get-togethers that involve alcohol.
“In companies where drinking is seen as a bonding ritual, there is a belief that choosing not to participate may give the perception that you are not truly committed to the job or business.”
So if you are a non-drinker, how do you respond to a workplace culture that encourages drinking alcohol and avoid feeling uncomfortable?
A TEETOTALLER IS NO LESS OF A WORKER
The HR professionals emphasised that there is no connection between work performance and social drinking.
Dr Tania Nagpaul, a senior lecturer of the human resources programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said: “There is something fundamentally wrong if promotions and appraisals are dependent on social drinking.
“If employees are good at their work, they needn’t worry about fitting into the drinking culture.”
Mr Blasco reassured non-drinkers that it is unlikely that they will get ostracised based on their decision to not have any alcohol, as long as they are upfront about it.
