Should You Take Your Electrical Contracting Team To The Pub? 

Everyone loves a big sports occasion, don’t they? From State of Origin to the AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cup to an NRL decider, they’re high intensity occasions and if you can’t be there in person, the second best option is watching live in the pub with your mates. Or work colleagues. Sometimes they’re the same thing.

As a boss, it’s a good opportunity on neutral territory to build relationships, have a bit of time out and enjoy an occasion together. After all, when everyone’s flat out on different jobs, working different shifts or travelling between sites, finding time to get everyone together can be a challenge.

According to Farah Belhaj, HR Services Manager at Sydney-based Polyglot Group, these occasions can be valuable for employers and employees alike.

“Events such as State of Origin or a grand final give business owners a ready-made opportunity to bring their teams together, recognise their contribution and strengthen workplace relationships,” she says.

“Informal interaction can improve communication and collaboration back at work, while recognition and appreciation are strong drivers of engagement and retention.”

And there are some good reasons to make employees feel appreciated. According to Reward Gateway’s 2025 Workplace Engagement Index, 31% of Aussie employees surveyed identified a lack of recognition as a reason for leaving their jobs, while 43% said rewards and recognition helped drive their productivity.

But, as with most things involving employees, there are a few potential pitfalls to avoid – so before you go all in on getting everyone to the pub, there are a few things to consider.

Make it an occasion everyone can enjoy

While the idea of a few beers and watching the footy might sound like a winner and appeal to most people in the business, it may not appeal to everyone.

Some people aren’t interested in sport, others don’t drink, some will have family commitments and some simply prefer to keep their work and social lives separate. And that’s perfectly fine.

“Attendance should be genuinely optional, with no impact on how people are viewed or treated,” Farah explains.

“Make sure you consider apprentices, any remote members of the team, and anyone who’s got responsibilities for caring for others when planning the event.”

In reality, just make sure nobody feels pressured to attend, or left out if they don’t. There shouldn’t be any unintended repercussions at work for people who’ve not turned up.

Remember, you’re still the boss!

Just because you’ve knocked off and have an ice-cold schooner in your hand doesn’t mean your responsibilities as an employer have ended.

If you’ve organised a work event it can be considered an extension of the workplace, even if it takes place after hours.

“Employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace, and that responsibility can extend to work-organised social events,” Farah says.

“Work health and safety obligations, anti-discrimination laws and the positive duty to prevent sexual harassment may still apply.”

And, look, we all love a bit of sporting rivalry – who doesn’t have a bit of banter when the Blues and Maroons battle it out? But there’s a difference between good-natured banter and behaviour that crosses the line.

Workplace expectations around bullying, harassment and respectful behaviour apply as much during a work trip to the pub as they do during the work day, so make sure everyone is on the same page.

Because, if something does go wrong, you could find yourself dealing with more than just an awkward morning the next day.

Don’t let the drinks get out of hand

If at the pub, there’s a fair chance alcohol will be involved.

And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with shouting your team a few drinks, it’s worth thinking carefully about how you manage things.

Provide plenty of food, make sure non-alcoholic options are available and consider setting a reasonable limit on the drinks you’re paying for.

“Set expectations in advance, provide food and quality non-alcoholic options, and consider responsible service arrangements,” Farah advises.

It’s also important to consider how everyone gets home safely, because if it’s a ‘work event’ that can be your responsibility.

And don’t forget about the following morning. A late night having stayed up to watch the footy is one thing, but having people turning up tired or unfit for work on an electrical job site is simply not acceptable.

“Consider late finishes, travel home and whether employees are rostered to perform safety-critical tasks the next day,” Farah says.

“This is particularly important in industries such as electrical services, construction and maintenance, where employees are expected to be fit for work when they arrive on site.”

SafeWork NSW recommends that employers provide food and non-alcoholic drinks at workplace functions, establish clear finishing times and consider how employees will get home safely.

A little planning goes a long way

The good news is you don’t need to turn a night at the pub into a major HR exercise. A bit of common sense (sometimes a rare commodity when it comes to these sorts of things!) and some straightforward planning can help you avoid most of the obvious problems.

Let everyone know the arrangements beforehand, including whether attendance is optional, what the business is paying for and when the event will finish.

Make sure your workplace policies are up to date, have someone responsible (i.e. you!) keeping an eye on things and provide employees with a way to raise concerns if they need to.

If you’ve got younger apprentices attending, think about appropriate supervision and alcohol arrangements, too.

And if a big pub night seems like too much trouble, there are plenty of alternatives.

You could fire up the BBQ at HQ and put the game on the big screen. Sometimes, something as simple as knocking off a little early, having a feed together and watching the game can achieve the same result.

It’s about more than the game

Ultimately, the point isn’t whether your team wins, loses or even cares about the result.

It’s about getting your people to spend time together outside of the everyday, get to know each other better and build those relationships that will enable them to work even better together.

And when you’re running a busy contracting business, those opportunities can be few and far between.

“Team events around major sporting occasions can be a great way to recognise employees and strengthen workplace culture,” Farah says.

“However, electrical businesses should approach them with the same level of planning and risk management they apply to other workplace activities.”

So, next time there’s a big game on the calendar, it might be worth getting the team together.

Just remember that a good night out should leave everyone feeling better about coming to work the next day – regardless of the result!

Frequently asked questions about electrical contractor team events