LONDON, Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A third of UK workers have seen changes in their working patterns to spend more time at their offices in the past six months, and Heineken® has set out its stall: it wants more Brits in the office.
Only with a bit of a twist: the beer brand is renaming pubs across the UK to The Office to spotlight the silver lining of being back at your desk - the bit that comes right after.
Whether its the commute, the unspoken rule of needing to make everyone a cup of coffee, or simply the need to put something smart on, weve all had our fair share of gripes with heading back to the office. But one things been overlooked in the years-long debate - and thats the value of catching up with colleagues to socialise after work.
Heineken® has long championed making connections with people face to face, and now, with 46% of hybrid workers saying they miss out on post-work patter, the beer brand is offering a free pint of Heineken® Original or Heineken® 0.0 for workers and their colleagues at more than 1,000 pubs.
Some 22 million people across the UK enjoy after work socialising with their colleagues, but that figure has seen a slight reduction from pre-pandemic figures (down 5%). Since then, new working practices mean some 58% of Gen Z hybrid workers have never met some of those they work with - and thats despite 72% of them agreeing the best place to build a relationship with your co-workers is outside of work.
The after-work social has long been a sacred British tradition, fostering connections and fuelling productivity. Some 78% of workers polled said after work socialising is a good way to meet new people and contacts. A further 32% said they have their most honest conversations at the pub, while 74% of Gen Z claimed they have their best work ideas not at work, but at the pub social straight afterwards.
It should be no surprise, then, that a new report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research showed that every £10 spent on after-work socialising brings an additional £13.40 to the wider economy.
In fact, after-work socialising is set to sustain an aggregate economic footprint of £28.9bn in the UK 2025 alone, and the sector supports a massive 300,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
Whats more, some 45% of workers say knowing their manager on a more personal level can strengthen their career prospects. Theres good news for businesses too: 59% said theyd be less likely to quit a job if they had a strong relationship with their colleagues.
Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken®, said: "The return-to-oce chat continues to stir up debate. After years of video calls and virtual cheers its safe to say that while we might not miss the oce, weve certainly missed those real, in-person laughs with our colleagues. At Heineken, weve always believed the best moments happen when people get together, so this month were raising our pints to circling back to our colleagues at the pub."
While a handful of pubs are cheekily changing their signs, more than 1,000 pubs in England are taking part in the offer of a free pint of Heineken or Heineken 0.0 to share with colleagues. Simply sign up here to receive a voucher, which can be shared with up to three friends (one pint per person), Monday to Friday throughout October from 4:59pm. In Scotland and Wales, scan the QR code in-pub or head online after 4:59pm for the chance to win limited-edition Heineken merch.
Notes to editors Media contact:
heinekencultureuk@wearetheromans.com
Additional statistics:
Research Credits:
*Heineken commissioned a survey of 1,008 UK office workers. Research conducted by OnePoll, August 2025.
+ 30% of UK workers have seen their working patterns change in the past six months
*Separately, Heineken commissioned a report titled The economic value of after-work occasions by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, produced in collaboration with the British Bar and Pub Association, the UKs leading trade association representing pubs and breweries.
About Heineken®
HEINEKEN® is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business.
HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken® N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken® Holding
N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY)