Is an iced coffee enough to derail an interview?

The demographics of the workforce are changing as the majority of Gen Z are now adults.

Businesses can benefit from making the most of this new generation, but only if the recruitment process accommodates generational differences.

With a debate about iced coffee taking the internet by storm, employers may need additional HR support to ensure they have an effective recruitment strategy in place.

Iced coffee: attitude problem or discrimination risk?

It might sound strange to be intently discussing the merits of bringing in any form of beverage to a job interview, yet the nuance behind the view of iced coffee may pose a risk during recruitment.

A recruiter recently cautioned young job seekers from bringing in iced coffee to job interviews for fear that it made them seem unprofessional.

It was claimed that bringing in an iced coffee makes a job interview seem less important and more akin to another chore on a to-do list.

The response to the suggestion was passionate from both sides, with some echoing the sentiment and just as many arguing that it could be discriminatory.

Iced coffee has become heavily associated with Gen Z women, leading to questions arising over whether a different beverage would warrant the same advice.

In particular, would the drink of choice for an older man be viewed as unprofessional and could there be a problem if candidates were being dismissed due to their taste in drink?

Would external HR support help resolve the iced coffee debate?

At its heart, there has to be a decision made over whether the act of drinking is unprofessional in and of itself.

It is not uncommon for interviewers to provide candidates with a glass of water or a hot coffee or tea, so environments in which this behaviour occurs would be remiss to ban a specific type of drink.

If the candidate felt that they were being unfairly viewed for something innate, they could raise a challenge under the Equality Act 2010.

Drinks are not protected, but if the choice of beverage is linked to a protected characteristic, then matters may become more complex.

What may be viewed as discriminatory is if the candidate is being disadvantaged due to a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Similarly, a person may be using a drink to accommodate their needs by addressing physical or mental wellbeing to perform better in the job interview.

Iced coffee should not be a barrier to an exemplary candidate taking their place in your company and our team can provide you with the HR support required to manage such concerns.

We can help you clearly communicate expectations to applicants, highlighting what would be appropriate and inappropriate for them to do or bring ahead of time.

Should iced coffee be banned for legitimate reasons, such as if there is sensitive equipment in the interview process, it would be better to instil a blanket ban on external food or drink during the interview.

Even after the interview process, our experts can help you onboard new members and keep your team operating effectively.

For HR support that can help you manage talent in your team, get in touch.