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Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace

For many people, a method of coping with stress is to drink more than is advisable or to take recreational drugs in the expectation that this might reduce their occupational stress.

Most recent stress statistics indicate that this is more usual than is often realised. About one in twenty people over the age of 18 have some level of alcohol problem, and many more regularly become intoxicated at levels that can, and will, impair judgement or their ability to carry out their job responsibilities fully effectively. About 2.9 million people are estimated to dependent on alcohol.

And nearly a third of all British adults have used illegal drugs or banned substances at some time in their lives, while one in two young people have tried illegal drugs, particularly cannabis, at least once.

Alcohol and drug misuse are both commonplace and, whilst their abuse may take place outside the work environment, their effects are frequently manifest within it. It is therefore important that organisations understand the effects that this can have on both productivity and safety. Developing an appropriate policy is crucial, as is educating managers, supervisors and staff about the adverse effects that alcohol and drugs can have in the workplace and on long-term levels of stress.
   

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