While the link between alcohol intake and poorer health outcomes is well known, health and protection advisers are not about to implement dry festive parties.
John Kerr, managing director at Incorporate Benefits, told Health & Protection suggesting a dry festive party was one way to ensure your staff will not turn up.
“To me life is all about balance and its about individuals making decisions for themselves,” Kerr told Health & Protection.
“There are enough people in the world right now trying to tell us what is right and what is wrong and trying to impose their opinions on the population.
“For that reason we’ll still be having a wet Christmas party this year and we’ll let people decide for themselves if they want to drink or not drink.”
Marcia Reid, non-executive director at Sherwood Healthcare, revealed the Sherwood Healthcare team will be having a festive get-together as usual and there may be a few glasses of something bubbly involved.
“Of course, we are always mindful of the benefits of ‘everything in moderation’ but we are also fans of ‘a little of what you fancy does you good,” she added.
Kristian Breeze, director of healthcare at Ascend Health, went further, maintaining a dry festive party sounds like the sort of idea dreamt up by someone who thinks fun is a compliance risk.
“Yes, alcohol is a carcinogen, and yes, advisers are meant to champion wellbeing, but let us not pretend that a glass of Sauvignon is the gateway to ruin and reckless abandon,” Breeze continued.
“The season is unfortunately built on contradiction: we preach moderation while inhaling mince pies like oxygen.
“Will we banish the bottle entirely? Hardly. That would be puritanism in tinsel. Perhaps the answer is the dreary middle ground: moderation, that virtue everyone applauds and no one practises.
“So, will the party be dry? Only if the conversation is too. And that would be a greater sin. Merry Christmas to all.”
Julie Denning, MD at Working to Wellbeing, added: “I am a strong believer in personal advocacy and enabling people to take responsibility for their health needs.
“So, when it comes to dry festivities, I feel that it is up to the individual to decide on what they do, or do not, consume. I also believe in everything in moderation so a glass of wine at a Christmas party is unlikely to directly negatively impact on one’s health whereas regular consumption or binge drinking is another story.
“Likely of greater benefit is, as my nan used to say, a little bit of what you fancy does you good.”