When it comes to alcohol in the workplace, organisations often have a confusing attitude towards their employees and drinking.
On one hand, most employees are expected to socialise with colleagues, customers and clients, and this is especially true as they climb the career ladder. Often employees are encouraged to win business and build relationships at social events, where alcohol is usually front and centre.
But at the same time, it’s a huge taboo to admit to having a drinking problem, and most people would be extremely reluctant to admit this to their employers. Our culture associates ‘social drinking’ as normal and expected, but ‘problem drinkers’ as weak-willed and lacking self-control. Not exactly attributes you would want to be associated with at work.
The pressure to drink alcohol at work
An investigation by think tank Demos into the drinking culture among Britain’s youth found that peer pressure from colleagues to drink was an issue for a quarter of those surveyed. Additionally, for those working in law and finance, drinking was viewed as a powerful social currency, which helped to achieve business objectives through networking, and even to improved promotion prospects.
In fact, alcohol consumption is growing among middle-aged professionals, with work-related stress a contributory factor. The Institute of Alcohol Studies notes that the proportion of workers drinking excessively is highest in managerial and professional occupations, where about a third of staff report heavy drinking.
Unfortunately, leaving a work event early or refusing an alcoholic drink is often frowned upon. And being last to leave and then showing up for work the next day slightly worse for wear, is often seen as a ‘badge of honour’ with an underlying understanding that this behaviour proved your team loyalty and that you are ‘one of the boys’.
So what can employers do regarding alcohol in the workplace?
First, employers need to change the drinking culture and acknowledge that alcohol is essentially a highly addictive drug.
To do this, I recommend senior leaders in the organisation and HR teams undergo training. This will help them understand the addictive nature of alcohol. And it will help them realise there is a wide spectrum of employees with alcohol problems, from severe alcohol dependency through to very high functioning daily drinkers who use alcohol at work, to those binge drinkers who only drink at the weekends.
Any ‘alcohol in the workplace’ training, will dispel the stereotype of alcoholics, and create awareness that many people struggling with alcohol are high-functioning professionals. Through training and education, employers can then create a work culture where no one has to, or is expected to, consume alcohol. This will create:
- An inclusive environment for non-drinkers
- An opportunity for all employees to choose not to drink alcohol at any work occasion without fear of harming their career
- Increased productivity throughout the organisation
- An environment that allows employers to support any employee with an alcohol problem
What are the signs of an alcoholic at work?
When someone is regularly drinking alcohol excessively, it will affect their cognitive functions such as decision-making and clarity. So inconsistencies in performance could be a sign of an employee with an alcohol problem.
In my experience as an ex-binge drinker, I noticed that when I drank excessively the night before, I would struggle with decision-making at work the following day. I was unable to focus, my energy levels were low and I would try to put off anything that seemed too taxing until I felt ‘normal’ again.
For most employees with an alcohol problem, their work performance suffers, they are low in confidence, motivation and enthusiasm and have lack of clarity and lower productivity. High performers who are regularly drinking excessively become skilled at ‘pushing through’ and making sure everything gets done. But they are not performing at a level they are capable of, and the pressure to maintain the performance required increases the dependency on alcohol as a way to destress or as a reward each night.
Supporting employees with alcohol problems
To help employees struggling with alcohol, it’s necessary to create a work culture where they’re no longer expected to drink to fit in.
Once that’s achieved, employers need to create clear guidance regarding what is not tolerated in terms of being under the influence of alcohol during working hours.
Next, in terms of employees’ overall wellbeing, employers need to understand if an employee is dealing with a difficult life situation, such as a bereavement or chronic illness. In which case, a robust support system can help employees’ mental wellbeing and reduce the desire to numb themselves with alcohol.
My guidance is to tread carefully. Having a process in place to offer support can work well if the employee feels the organisation genuinely cares about their wellbeing. The support needs to be confidential and judgement free. I would encourage language such as ‘not being in control over alcohol’ or ‘over drinking’ rather than ‘addict’ or ‘alcoholic’. These are terms which have very negative connotations and are no longer used by the medical profession.
Sober coaching is useful too. After working with me for a couple of months and then taking a break from alcohol, one of my clients described the following situation: “On day 25 (of being alcohol-free) I went out on a works do to a wine bar. The wine was poured in glasses in front of me, and that was a challenge because I was with people I didn’t know. I could smell the wine but because I had the tools to work through it, I was the only one not drinking.”
Heavy drinking and alcohol in the workplace is a growing problem, especially among middle-aged professionals in the UK. With the right understanding and approach, employers could make a real difference in helping their staff gain control over alcohol and create a more productive* and supportive working environment as a result.
*Lost productivity due to alcohol use costs the UK economy more than £7 billion each year (Source: Alcohol Change UK).
Data sources:
www.ias.org.uk/report/alcohol-in-the-workplace
www.demos.co.uk/research/youth-drinking-in-transition/ 
