Microsoft is urging its employees to take it easy with alcohol amid embarrassing allegations that took place earlier in the year. Several senior executives were accused of being “ridiculously drunk” and had made unwanted sexual advances towards their female colleagues.
“Even in the absence of an express legal requirement, Microsoft expects event organisers and participants to exercise common sense and good judgment when alcoholic beverages are served at social events. Food should be served along with alcoholic beverages, participants should manage their level of alcohol consumption [and] event sponsors should ensure that alternative forms of transportation are available. Any participant who becomes inebriated should be prevented from consuming alcoholic beverages and from operating a vehicle,” Microsoft stated in an email to staff members.
Microsoft isn’t telling their staff not to drink, but to “enjoy themselves, but not too much.”
An incident came to light back in September of this year where Simon Negus, Microsoft’s former UK second in command, was fired in 2010 after he allegedly kissed a co-worker at a company party in Atlanta and then lied about it when Microsoft conducted an investigation.
Negus was also accused of “flirting [with] and touching” that co-worker, Toni Knowlson. Negus also asked another co-worker to “flutter her eyelashes.” On top of all that, Negus also asked another woman, Martina Redmond, to stand on a chair so that he could admire her short skirt. Microsoft fired Negus, but was unable to prove the sexual harassment allegations.
Negus accused his former boss, Gordon Frazer, for getting him fired and fostering a “culture of debauchery” at Microsoft. Negus alleges that “drunkenness and outrageous misbehaviour were rife” during an annual company sales conference. “The alcohol made freely available in unlimited quantities included neat vodka which could be drunk from an ice fountain, and a very strong German liquor called Jagermeister,” Negus stated.
