After-work drinks sessions are often conducted by small groups of colleagues of roughly the same status, but where a mixing of ranks does occur, any deference that might be shown in the workplace is replaced in the pub by ironic mock-deference. Managers who go for after-work drinks with their ‘team’ may be addressed as ‘Boss’, but in a jokey, slightly insolent way, as in ‘Oi, Boss, it’s your round!’
