You and your employees’ social, mental and physical wellbeing matter.
The craft beer industry is in a time of reckoning with an all-time record of people leaving their jobs, and employers struggling to fill vacant roles. 1 in 5 employees left a job at some point in their career because of its toxic organizational culture. By one estimate, employee turnover triggered by a toxic culture cost U.S. employers nearly $50 billion per year pre-pandemic.
What makes a brewery’s culture toxic is often the elevated levels of stress, burnout, mental health issues and pain experienced at work or as a result of their work. While these types of experiences are often common, they are not talked about by and among peers in craft beer. The consequences of the endured pain and silence lead to disengagement in many forms.
Two leaders in craft beer share their honest stories of quitting – leaving toxic behaviours, routines, and craft brewery cultures and finding their way to a balanced way of life working inside and living outside of craft beer. Where their identities are more than what they drink or the brewery they work for.
References: Toxic Culture Is Driving the Great Resignation and Why Every Leader Needs to Worry About Toxic Culture.
Dana Kaluzny (she/her) is a Facilitator, bringing people together for projects that matter and the Co-Owner and Founder of Endswell Beer, a small-batch brewery for people who love beer with people in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
She supports leaders and teams by facilitating honest conversations that move people from the overwhelm of working collaboratively to decision-making and action. So you can show up as your whole self to build honest relationships to get the work done, and actually enjoy it!
Dana has over 13 years experience guiding emergent projects in multiple industries. She got her start in craft beer in 2008 as the Director of Retail and Events for a Toronto brewery and award-winning event venue. She is a founding partner of the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative.
A mother to Calvin and Ellis. A bonus mom to Alex. Life and business partner to Mike. A recovering workaholic turned pleasure activist.
You can work with her through 1:1 relational leadership and team sessions and experiential workshops. Learn more at www.danakaluzny.com.
Tom Halaska has almost 30 years of Food & Beverage experience, and community has always been at the heart of his programming. Currently the National Sales Director for Ritual Zero Proof Spirits, Tom’s focus is now on helping bar and restaurant owners to create a more inclusive beverage program for the modern drinker. Prior to his current role, as Global Brand Manager, Tom not only lifted WellBeing Brewing Company to the top of the Craft NA Beer category, but also helped create the national category itself.
His passion to lift the entire NA category was a driving force behind his efforts in the Craft NA Beer Space. Tom believes it’s almost becoming mandatory that beverage programs step outside of the realm of alcohol-heavy traditional menus. People are consuming differently these days. They are being more mindful about how and when they consume. WIth that said, everyone still wants their treat when they go out. They want to enjoy something that they know was handcrafted. Not an after-thought. Something with purpose. Being able to provide those options to people who are deciding not to consume in-the-moment has given Tom purpose inside of an industry that he loves so dearly.