A recent scan of the health pages threw up this article on alcohol - which reported on Department of Health figures stating that a quarter of the UK's population drink too much.
In response to these figures a workplace health organisation Health@Work have asked employers to step in to help tackle alcohol-related problems. According to the chief executive at Health@Work, Frances Molloy workplaces can help by identifying problems amongst staff and offering support to those who need it.
Of course, alcohol problems can directly affect the workplace, so many businesses will be keen to address any that disrupt productivity and absence management plans, a view that Ms Molloy reflects saying: “It’s also in the interest of the business to tackle this problem. Alcohol misuse costs the economy up to £6.4 billion a year, with 17 million working days lost annually in England alone, due to alcohol related sickness. By tackling the problem businesses can reduce absence rates, improve productivity and staff morale, which will directly affect the bottom line.”
Should employers be making steps to identify alcohol problems amongst staff members? Or is this a personal issue?
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