Alcohol and Work: How Drinking Affects Productivity and Wellbeing | Alcohol Awareness Week
Alcohol and work can often be connected, and drinking can affect a person’s job performance, relationships, and health. Drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, can lower productivity, increase mistakes, and create safety risks at work, depending on the job. Many employers have policies to manage these risks and protect employees from the effects of alcohol misuse in the workplace.
This Alcohol Awareness Week, let’s open up conversations around drinking and its impact on the workplace, let’s also celebrate the brands and individuals leading the way through initiatives like the SHINE Awards.
The Relationship Between Alcohol and Work
Alcohol use in the workplace is an issue that can affect productivity and health. Drinking habits often influence job performance, how people present themselves at work, and overall wellbeing and office culture.
Impact of Alcohol on Work Performance
Regular alcohol consumption can have both short-term and long-term effects on your work life. Even small amounts of alcohol in the system can impair productivity, decision-making, memory, and coordination.
Tasks take longer, the frequency of mistakes may increase, and thinking may become less clear as a result of using alcohol at work. The consumption of alcohol can often lead to poor sleep and low energy.
If an employee arrives at work hungover or still feeling the effects of alcohol from the night before, their ability to focus is significantly impaired. Workplaces that feature heavy machinery can become unsafe, as the impairment that comes from alcohol use can increase the risk of accidents that can result in injury or even death.
Presenteeism and Absenteeism from Drinking
Presenteeism happens when a person comes to work but is not fully productive because of alcohol. They may feel tired, unfocused, or unwell, but still show up and try to get through the day. Unlike being absent, presenteeism can go unnoticed but adds up over time, leading to lower output across a team.
Absenteeism, on the other hand, means missing work due to drinking or recovering from the use of alcohol. This can include calling in sick or leaving work early. Both trends can affect workplace morale and reliability, putting pressure on other team members and managers.
Risks and Consequences of Alcohol in the Workplace
Alcohol in the workplace can harm safety, reduce work performance, and affect company reputation. It also puts staff wellbeing at risk and may lead to legal or financial issues if not handled properly.
Safety Hazards and Health Implications
Working under the influence of alcohol can lead to poor judgement, slower reaction times, and loss of coordination. These problems make tasks that involve machinery, driving, or handling hazardous materials much more dangerous. Even low levels of alcohol can increase the risk of accidents and workplace injuries.
Alcohol is linked to higher rates of absences and sickness, as it causes hangovers and long-term health issues like liver damage, high blood pressure, and weakened immune response. You might also see more workplace mistakes or near-misses, not just injuries. Alcohol misuse can cause safety concerns in the workplace.
Effects on Staff Wellbeing
When staff consume alcohol and work coexist, stress levels and conflict in the office may increase. Employees could feel isolated, anxious, or unable to perform at their best. Over time, negative impacts on mental health might show up as low mood, trouble concentrating, or withdrawal from colleagues.
These problems not only affect people who drink, but workplace relationships and team trust may also suffer as a result of alcohol at work. Staff who notice a colleague acting oddly or making mistakes might feel pressure or concern.
Workplace Culture and Alcohol Use
The way alcohol is treated at work shapes behaviour. Social norms, workplace expectations, and company events can influence staff drinking habits and wellbeing.
Influence of Work Culture on Drinking Behaviours
Workplace culture sets the tone for how people view drinking. In some offices, after-work drinks are common, and employees may feel pressured to participate. If heavy drinking is normalised among staff members, it can lead to unhealthy habits.
Alcohol is sometimes used to cope with workplace stress or job demands. This link between alcohol and work can make it hard to control a drinking problem.
Workplace Social Events
Work events and after-hours gatherings impact drinking habits. Social functions are often built around alcohol. Even informal team meetings may involve drinking, especially if they’re held outside the office. For some, it may encourage a routine of regular drinking, which can lead to alcohol dependence.
Working from home has blurred the lines between personal habits and professional life. Some people may start drinking earlier or more often when they’re at home, especially with little to no oversight in place to monitor or penalise their behaviour.
Employer Responsibilities and Support Strategies
Employers have a legal and moral role in managing alcohol issues at work. A proper approach can reduce risks, support employee wellbeing, and improve productivity.
Developing and Implementing Workplace Safety Policies
Creating a clear, well-written alcohol policy is one of your most important tasks. The policy should explain your expectations, outline acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, and describe how cases of alcohol misuse will be managed.
Staff wellbeing is an important part of the workplace, and when it’s done right, it should be properly acknowledged and recognised.
An Alcohol Problem Can be Overcome
Alcohol and work, ideally, do not coexist. Ideally, a person must be sober when they are in the workplace. Due to factors such as stress or mental health conditions, people become addicted to alcohol, and their addiction may make its way into their workplaces.
Alcohol addiction can be overcome. With personalised treatment, people can stop drinking, allowing them to go to work and have careers without alcohol use disorder disrupting their productivity. If you find yourself struggling with alcohol while trying to maintain your career, Steps Together has a full range of services that could help.
Promoting Positive Change: SHINE Awards 25 and Alcohol-Free Workplaces
As part of Alcohol Awareness Week, it’s important to highlight positive initiatives that promote workplace wellbeing. One such initiative is the SHINE Awards 25, a completely alcohol-free event that recognises and celebrates organisations committed to inclusivity, mental health, and healthier work environments.
The SHINE Awards serve as a reminder that social and professional success doesn’t need to be fuelled by alcohol. By removing alcohol from the equation, the event creates a space where everyone can feel included and valued, regardless of their relationship with drinking.
Nominations are now open, so if you know someone in your workplace who champions wellbeing or leads with compassion, now is the perfect time to recognise them. The awards are also open for sponsorship, offering businesses a powerful opportunity to align their CSR (corporate social responsibility) efforts with workplace wellness and inclusivity.
