More and more of us are taking the annual challenge of Dry January. To go a whole month without drinking any alcohol and change our alcohol habits. The benefits to both physical and mental health are well known – better sleep, improved stress management, lower blood pressure.
Employers benefit from all of this too of course. Less absence, increased productivity and lowering the risks of accidents (or worse) caused by alcohol consumption.
But perhaps employers face a challenge all of their own. While many may have a policy on alcohol – often combined with drugs – how do they create an on-going level of awareness – and encourage employees to act on it? Something that will last long after the ‘buzz’ of Dry January has faded.
That’s what this article is all about. We’ll cover the things you’ll need to do to help your employees have a healthier relationship with alcohol – and that requires something more than a policy.
The impact and cost of alcohol on the workplace
There’s no getting away from the fact that alcohol has a serious impact on our health and our work. Here are a few sobering facts and stats that should concern any responsible employer:
- The British Safety Council suggest that alcohol is responsible for 20-30% of all recorded accidents, and half of all workplace fatalities. The International Labour Organisation estimates this could be as high as 40%.
- 17 million working days are lost each year in the UK because of alcohol-related sickness, costing the economy around £7 billion, with 40% of employers citing alcohol as a significant cause of low productivity – according to the Assoc. of Directors of Public Health.
- Alcohol use can impair performance through reduced coordination, slowed reaction times, and poor decision-making when working with a hangover. What’s more, accidents may lead to prosecution and carry the risk of reputational damage.
- Research has confirmed that work itself can often be a part of the problem as workplace stress can make employees want to drink more.
- Employers can be fined (potentially up to £1 million in the UK) and held liable if an accident involves alcohol and it is found that they failed in their duty of care or did not take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm. This applies under UK health and safety law.
- The expectation to drink alcohol may be damaging team morale and engagement. The CIPD found that a quarter of HR professionals said some people don’t go to social events because of the expectation to consume alcohol.
What can employers do?
The existence of an alcohol policy alone won’t cut it. Employers need to increase awareness of the impact of alcohol, while reducing consumption levels. While getting behind the annual Dry January campaign is helpful, longer lasting results are likely to be built on cultural change., especially in organisations where a ‘drinking culture’ is an accepted part of the identity.
Here are some steps you can take:
Make alcohol about wellbeing – not just a performance issue: The CIPD found that around a fifth (19%) of employers see alcohol and drug misuse mainly as a performance/disciplinary issue – missing the opportunity to focus on the wellbeing benefits of less consumption. So, recognise alcohol misuse when designing your wellbeing programme and offerings – and increase the prevention message.
Is work fueling consumption? Ask yourself some hard truths. Are workloads excessive? Are stress levels higher than they should be? And do some line managers have a poor reputation with their teams, or are fueling a drinking culture as something they see as good for morale? If an employee feels pressurised to drink, you have a problem.
Increase personal awareness: Encourage employees to explore their personal drinking habits. The NHS, Alcohol Change UK and Drinkaware all offer free apps and tips for you to share. And of course, the Dry January campaign offers resources – or you could design your own.
Who can your people turn to? Do your line managers have the skills needed to spot the signs, and the confidence to manage and support employees who may have an alcohol problem in a non-judgemental way? What’s more, do your people hold the trust in them that they should? The answers to these questions will tell you if training is needed. And are your colleagues familiar with how to support a colleague who may be struggling? We’ve included some tips to help with this in the next section.
Create a place where employees feel comfortable asking for support: Having support available, or indeed an alcohol policy, is of little value if your people don’t want to come forward and use it. So, what has been the take up of any alcohol counselling you may have in your EAP? If the number is low, that suggests a communications need and some trust building.
Avoid alcohol temptation at work: Does your culture encourage drinking to be the focus of social events, or an informal way to let off steam with colleagues? While some alcohol might be good for team morale, having no alcohol free options certainly isn’t. When planning work events, don’t forget to include alcohol free options, and make the theme include everyone – whether they want to drink or not.
Recognise and rehabilitate: If someone is struggling with alcohol, provide time off to get treatment and or professional support. Treat time off as normal sick leave. Supporting employees through recovery can be more cost-effective than recruiting and training new staff.
Assess and mitigate the risks: We know that alcohol is responsible for 20-30% of all recorded accidents – so have you carried our risk assessments in safety critical roles? Any policy should address alcohol testing provided it is done lawfully and fairly with employee consent.
How to support someone struggling with alcohol
The biggest step for those struggling with alcohol is to admit that they have a problem. Acceptance is key to getting the help they need. Some ways you can support someone with alcohol dependency are:
Listen and show empathy: Give the employee space to talk, acknowledge their feelings and avoid blame or stigma.
Approach the conversation with care: Arrange a private, confidential discussion and if you discuss any examples of their behaviour, focus on work impact rather than assumptions. Use a supportive, non-judgemental tone.
Educate yourself: Learn about alcohol dependency and the recovery process to better understand what they are experiencing.
Encourage they seek professional support: GP, therapists or counsellors can provide essential guidance and treatment options.
Be patient: Recovery takes time and relapse can occur; ongoing understanding and consistency are key.
Conclusion
Employers that reduce the impact of alcohol do so by taking a proactive, year-round approach. This means being open about its effects on health and wellbeing and examining whether workplace culture contributes to consumption. While initiatives like Dry January raise awareness, lasting change comes from embedded strategies. The actions outlined here provide a practical foundation for creating that sustained impact.
Further reading:
Cordell Health: Alcohol – the sobering facts you need to know
Cordell Health: Dry January – Tips to keep going
Photo by Stanislav Ivanitskiy on Unsplash
