More firms give employees chance to drink on the job

Employees at Eli Lilly and Co.’s corporate headquarters need not hoof it to the nearest watering hole if they want to unwind with a beer after work.

The pharmaceutical giant boasts its own bar and restaurant right on its downtown campus, where workers can enjoy a glass of suds or wine anytime after 4 p.m. without the inconvenience of leaving work.

Called Reveli, short for “revitalizing Eli Lilly,” the gathering spot opened in 2012 amid troubling financial times for the corporation. But lately, more companies are following suit and allowing employees to imbibe in the office as the lines between work and social lives increasingly blend.

“Before Reveli, we had a zero-tolerance alcohol policy on site,” said Steve Fry, Lilly’s senior vice president of human resources and diversity. “But essentially, our employees are adults and we treat them like adults. So we changed our policy.”…CONTINUE READING AT IBJ.COM