One in four young workers drink to get ahead at work

One in four under 35 year olds admitted they have drunk alcohol to get ahead according to a survey commissioned by recruitment consultants Adecco. The research, taken from Adecco’s Employment Study, found that employees under 35 were most likely to alter their behaviour in pursuit of career progression.

The survey looked at some of tactics we use to get ahead in the workplace and found that:

• One in ten of us (12%) have laughed at a boss’s joke to get ahead in the workplace.
• Almost half (47%) of under 35 year olds have laughed at their bosses’ jokes to get ahead
• A quarter (25%) of employees thinks it’s easier for those from posh/upper-middle class backgrounds to progress at work.

Steven Kirkpatrick, Managing Director at Adecco added:

“The results of our research highlight the enthusiasm of younger workers. We never advise changing your social habits to get ahead – if you don’t drink, there’s no need to start for the sake of supposed career progression. However, laughing at an unfunny joke isn’t going to harm anyone. If your boss is more David Brent than David Walliams, often it’s kinder to fill the silence with a titter than watching the proverbial tumbleweed drift past.”