The Diverse Spectrum
In 2019, I founded the Tiny Adventures Social RVA (Alcohol-Free) Meetup group in Richmond, Virginia. Because this is an alcohol-free group, I assumed we would attract people in recovery for alcohol and substance abuse. But I was wrong! Those in recovery represent a small percentage of our 500+ current members. Instead, I learned there is a diverse spectrum of non-drinkers and drinkers who value connecting without alcohol.
I started to research and, over time, compiled an ever-growing list that impacts our workplace:
- Recovery (Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder)
- Gender
- Religion
- Race
- Health Status
- Trauma Survivors
- Lifestyle
- Ability
- Caregivers
- Financial Well-being
It’s uncanny how this list dovetails with so many DEI mission statements. In a prior article, I discussed several of these categories. Since then, I learned how alcohol culture also impacts disability inclusion, caregivers, and financial well-being.
- Neurodiversity is a growing DEI-B topic in the legal sector. Haley Moss, an advocate for disability inclusion and neurodiversity, wrote a powerful article in Fastcase revealing a tool for managing her autism: she does not drink in professional settings to cope with loud, crowded, and often overwhelming events.
- While creating resources and programming to support caregivers, a professional development leader discovered an unexpected request: Parents value nonalcoholic options and non-evening events because they want to spend time and be present with their children.
- The financial outlay of “getting drinks” affects those with lower pay, student loans, or family obligations. A recent Gallup study shows that alcohol use increases with college education, peaking at those with $100k+ income.
If we pay attention, we’ll recognize that nondrinkers, as well as drinkers with personal reasons to choose nonalcohol alternatives, are all around us.
Privacy
Disclosure is also a real issue. Who wants to reveal their efforts at recovery with senior leadership? Or their family history with breast cancer? Or their experience with sexual assault? Who wants to divulge their early-stage pregnancy? Or their disability? Who wants to risk stigma and being treated like an “other”?
In 2021, I decided to publicly disclose my recovery status in my profession . . . after nearly 14 years of sobriety. It took a startling figure in the Stress, Drink, Leave report to find the courage. According to that report, nearly 56% of women attorneys were engaging in risky drinking and 34% in hazardous drinking. I felt called to service. But it’s been a vulnerable and often lonely road. For now, it’s prudent for most legal professionals in recovery to maintain their privacy.
Before my decision, I involuntarily disclosed in two different workplaces because the leadership created drinking-centric events. One involved a beer-oriented bar, which I discussed in my earlier article. Another organization hosted a happy hour at their headquarters for (mostly female) senior leaders from all over the country. Bafflingly, they only offered wine. I ended up awkwardly standing in the kitchen by the water cooler. Soon thereafter, I left the organization.
Professional Opportunity
How does this impact professional opportunity? At its core, access equals opportunity. Initiatives such as the Inclusion Footprint acknowledge this reality, seeking to ensure “fair and equal access to quality work, influential people, and other opportunities.”
A default to alcohol culture is an underexplored factor in access: If we’re not connecting socially with our leaders and teams, we are less likely to attract:
- Mentorship and sponsorship
- Quality assignments and promotion
- Leadership roles
We get the message early on that drinking provides access to important relationships. In his Exploring Sobriety blog, Benya Clark observed that “nearly every single day there was at least one event at my school that had free beer or wine” and countless law school club events centered around drinking.
Thankfully, a number of law schools are evolving in their sponsored events, but a recent Bloomberg article by Jessica Blaemire noted that drinking may simply move off campus. Almost a quarter (23%) of law students increased alcohol usage because of law school–related issues.
Diversity programs can also be tone-deaf about how alcohol culture impedes access to their own leaders. Happy hours are ubiquitous at industry conferences. Wine tasting is a favorite among women’s affinity groups. I know trailblazing women leaders who cling to a wine-tasting fundraiser “tradition.”
Unsurprisingly, I hear from nondrinkers about a pressure to fit in, pretending to drink, being asked “what are you drinking,” or simply not attending alcohol-oriented events. As Haley Moss noted, “There is a distinct pressure to drink, even when you have a disability. There is a desire to fit in, to avoid the difficult questions, fit in, or impress someone who has influence in your industry.”
And leaders set these cultural expectations. One well-meaning leader earnestly told me that “mocktails” support nondrinkers so “people don’t know you’re not drinking.” Sadly, one nondrinking minority attorney relayed to me a story in which a partner said, “I don’t trust people who don’t drink.” He left the firm.
Data published in the Harvard Business Review linked high belonging to “a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.” We are missing ways to improve belonging by shifting our approach to alcohol.
What Can Leaders Do?
To date, many of the changes related to alcohol policies arise from shocking data about substance abuse and mental health in the legal profession. More than 200 organizations are signatories of the ABA Well-Being Pledge with a promise to “disrupt the status quo of drinking-based events.” A recent article in Law Practice Today showed progress with providing nonalcoholic options and activity-based events.
But a well-being focus is not enough. It’s time to expand our WHY to inclusion, belonging, professional success, recruiting, and retention for 20+% of your employees—the diverse spectrum of nondrinkers.
Organizations can:
- Educate DEI-B leaders, in collaboration with well-being, HR, and event staff.
- Engage ERG/affinity group leaders and members for feedback and insight.
- Evaluate existing social norms for mentorship and internship programs.
- Train managers and include them in orientation programming.
And, on a personal note, please consider how to holistically support those in recovery for alcohol and substance abuse disorders with compassion, policies, and practices. See my recent LinkedIn post for more detail.
We have a tremendous opportunity to align our DEI-B values for the spectrum of team members who are impacted when we default to alcohol for connection. As organizations and individuals, we can adapt the ABA Well-Being Pledge #2 in a DEI-B dynamic. In this way, we can create a culture that supports professional access, social connections, and meaningful relationships.