HEINEKENⓇ IS CALLING PEOPLE BACK TO THE OFFICE… BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU MIGHT THINK

• As debate rages on about going back to physical desks five days a week, Heineken^Ⓡ has cheekily renamed pubs across the UK to 'The Office' to celebrate one of the best parts of the working day - after-work socialising
• It comes as almost half of hybrid workers (46%) say they're missing out on catch-ups with colleagues outside the office
• New report shows after-work socialising will contribute £28.9bn to the UK economy this year, and every £10 spent in places like the pub brings an additional £13.40 to the nation's coffers
• This October, Heineken^Ⓡ is making the return to the office that little bit more palatable by offering the UK's 22m after work pub-goers a chance to get a free pint which can be redeemed with colleagues Monday - Friday from 4.59pm

LONDON, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 it's the commute, the unspoken rule of needing to make everyone a cup of coffee, or simply the need to put something smart on, we've all had our fair share of gripes with heading back to the office. But one thing's been overlooked in the years-long debate - and that's 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 that's 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.