Bosses are being encouraged to replace the traditional after-work beer with social gatherings during the day to be more inclusive and appeal to non-alcoholic Generation Z employees.

However, it seems that the reluctance to have a boozy evening with colleagues has less to do with avoiding alcohol, but rather with the fact that the younger generation sees social contacts as a kind of unpaid extra work.

Workers across the UK have taken to TikTok to express their disdain for spending time with colleagues in their free time, even suggesting they should be paid overtime for doing so.

When career influencer Brooklyn Norton asked if people still enjoy going out for drinks at work, one person replied, “Unless I’m getting paid to go there, there’s no way I’m going.”

Another added, “I get paid to talk to coworkers from 9am to 5pm, not after,” while a fellow critic agreed, saying, “As long as company meetings aren’t during work hours, I don’t attend. They’re coworkers, not friends.”

Brooklyn Norton, who writes about careers in vlogs, received a flood of responses when she asked why people don’t want to go to the pub after work

Stephen Adeoye, founder and CEO of Beyond Education, has included cancelling work drinks in his list of three things he “will not do in the UK economy”.

“I already spend more time with them than with my actual friends and family. This is a hard decision for me.”

For some Generation Z workers, it seems to be a defining principle that they are not obligated to do anything work-related outside of working hours – not even going to a pub or bar.

This certainly explains why daytime events such as group breakfasts or outings have become popular with younger workers and why there are an increasing number of TikTok posts showing these events in companies across the UK.

Videos of office “breakfast clubs” show employees being offered a selection of croissants, juices and fruits to enjoy while also having the opportunity to network with their colleagues during the workday.

Another TikTok user also drew a clear line between work and friendship, saying, “My work day is over. I’m a professional and I can get the job done without being your friend. If you can’t, I wouldn’t hire such a needy adult.”

Tara Berwin expressed a similar view, suggesting in her TikTok video that she would “rather go flying” than attend a work drink.

As a child, she was an actress and appeared in films such as “Gosford Park”, but today she works for a corporation in London.

London-based Tara Berwin, who appeared as a child actress in films such as Gosford Park, now works in a corporate job

A commentator on the Make It Common channel spoke about the pressure she felt to turn to pub culture in order to succeed in the corporate world

Part of the reluctance certainly has to do with avoiding alcohol.

According to a recent report, the after-work drink is on the decline as more people work from home and younger employees prefer to avoid alcohol. Last year, 21 percent of under-25s said they had given up alcohol completely, compared to just 14 percent in 2017.

This change in behavior has led one think tank to recommend that bosses abandon the idea of ​​evening drinks altogether and replace them with more activities that appeal to less alcohol-dependent employees, such as shared breakfasts or outings.

While some employees may prefer to chat with their colleagues over a croissant rather than drinking alcohol and chatting with them, for many, contact with their colleagues is simply taboo.

Some people don’t want to be around people who they feel are simply not their friends, while others admit that it is “tiring” and “torment” to have to spend more time with coworkers than necessary.

One scathing commenter wrote: “It’s just awkward being around a lot of older colleagues, no offense, we just have nothing in common and it feels so fake.”

For Sevda it is quite simple: “Nobody likes their colleagues anymore. That’s why nobody wants to drink anything.”

Commenters revealed on TikTok the real reason why they don’t want to be with their colleagues after work

Another commenter was even more scathing, saying: “Drinking after work is torture – I’d rather be doing literally *anything* else,” to which Annie replied: “Nope. Not anymore (I’m 32), I want to get away from these people.”

SanjySeth said, “I never meet with work colleagues. I couldn’t bear to continue the exhausting small talk if I don’t have to be with them…”

Another was blunt and said: “Absolutely not. I hate these fake corporate idiots, I detest them.”

Some employees don’t hate their colleagues, but rather differentiate between work colleagues and real friends. One employee says: “Colleagues are not friends. Don’t make that mistake.”

“I love having a drink after work. Only with my real friends and not with people from work,” and Joanna added: “Nope. Never. Work is work and friends are friends, they are not the same. For me there are no clear boundaries.”

Some TikTok users specifically point out that the idea that attending corporate drinks parties will help you climb the career ladder faster is a myth – and that you actually won’t get much out of it if you don’t want to.

MakeItCommon shared a video in which she says, “When I was in the corporate world, it was always like, ‘I don’t want to go for a drink after work,’ but that’s just the culture, so you just do it. It was like, ‘Oh, do you want to go to the pub?’ No, I don’t, but I know it will help me.”

Stephen Adeoye, founder and CEO of Beyond Education, has included cancelling work drinks in his list of three things he “will not do in the UK economy”.

“I don’t let my coworkers pressure me into going out for a drink at work if I don’t feel like it,” he said. “I think a lot of people think that going out for a drink at work is the way to get ahead, when in reality that’s not the case.”

“If you don’t feel like it, don’t go. You don’t have to go to work drinks to get ahead in the business world, that’s just a myth.”

Even though it is generally accepted that the best drinks are no longer served at work, there are still some people who still crave a beer or a cocktail with colleagues after work.

One wrote: “Loool, it seems like you guys work with some lousy people. I like the people I work with and am always up for a drink with colleagues. It’s nice to socialise with them outside of work too. I love it!”