When Drinking After Work Becomes a Problem Alcohol Addiction

The EAP counselor will also monitor the employee’s progress and will provide follow-up counseling if needed. However, when there are performance and conduct problems coupled with any number of these signs, it is time to make a referral to the EAP for an assessment so that the employee can get help if it is needed. The key to reducing alcohol misuse in the workplace is to avoid waiting until something goes wrong before acting. There are steps that can be taken at every level of your company and for every employee. One person’s behavior can change workload balance, productivity, morale, employee turnover, customer satisfaction, and so on. One might assume that perhaps a light beer is the best way to end a long day in the office but in fact, it was found that over 1 in 10 workers say they drink shots during Reasons to Attend AA Meetings and How Often to Go afterwork drinks.

Here’s how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems. ADA accommodations might include time off to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or other rehabilitation. It is important, Shea said, that the employer not treat the employee who has alcoholism differently from an employee who does not have alcoholism but who shows up to work hung over a few times a year.

Before actually meeting with the employee, you should gather any documentation of performance or conduct problems and think about what items to discuss with the employee. It is important to be specific about the problems in the employee’s performance and conduct and the particular incidents of concern. It might be helpful to rehearse this or at least go over the documentation with the EAP counselor. However, in some cases, the employee will be referred by you because you have noted a decline in the employee’s conduct, attendance, or performance and/or seen actual evidence of alcohol use or impairment at work. With 75% of adults experiencing a substance use disorder also actively working in jobs across all industries, alcohol misuse in the workplace can impact all aspects of a business.1 The costs to organizations can be much more than just financial.

End Office Happy Hours

About 10% of Americans have experienced drug addiction at some point in their lives. If one of your employees is struggling with this disease, you might be tempted to fire him or her. While HR can establish codes of conduct employees must abide by, there will still be limitations on all employee actions outside the workplace. If a circumstance of this nature were to arise, it should be addressed and handled by HR.

After-Work Drinks: Things Employers Should Consider

It also showed that generally, men felt coerced into drinking more often than women, with men 20% more likely to be encouraged into drinking by their colleagues and 37% more by their bosses. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper provides a full continuum of care, from medical detox and inpatient rehab to aftercare. We are here to help you and those you love recover from addiction and begin a healthier, alcohol-free future.

1. The threat of the loss of a job is often the push the alcoholic needs to enter treatment.
2. She told me she often receives questions from people who feel compelled to drink at work and don’t want to.
3. Most folks know there are any number of reasons people might not be drinking in general or for one night, notes Wickre, and will accept that.
4. “Or if you have family responsibilities, such as picking up the kids after a happy hour. Perhaps you run in the mornings… Exercise is another reason that is viewed as commendable.”
5. Carol Warner has been writing about the latest trends in human resources, employment law, education law, safety and security, employee training, and emergency response plans for more than 15 years.

Outpatient treatment is best for mild alcohol addictions, and it allows patients to attend doctor and therapy visits while still living at home. Inpatient treatment is best for moderate to severe alcohol addictions or people who have relapsed. Inpatient treatment involves living on-site at the detox or rehab facility, an approach that keeps patients in a healing environment and allows for better monitoring and treatment. “Hey, Health Coach” is for informational purposes only and should not substitute for professional psychological or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Have you got an alcohol blind spot in your workplace?

However, absences due to an employee’s substance use do not qualify for FMLA leave, according to the DOL. One group, in particular, doesn’t appear to be very interested in the perk. And an employee struggling with alcoholism can cause real, impactful ripple effects throughout an organization. Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

This loss of control is due to a decrease in the alcoholic’s tolerance and an increase in the withdrawal symptoms. The alcoholic cannot handle as much alcohol as they once could without getting drunk, yet needs increasing amounts to avoid withdrawal. There is no clear line between the early and middle stages of alcoholism, but there are several characteristics that mark a new stage of the disease. Many of the pleasures and benefits that the alcoholic obtained from drinking during the early stage are now being replaced by the destructive facets of alcohol abuse. The drinking that was done for the purpose of getting high is now being replaced by drinking to combat the pain and misery caused by prior drinking. Sometimes the employee will not accept the referral to the EAP or will deny the existence of a problem.

Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves. If you want to reduce your drinking, instead of creating an uncomfortable empty space in your day, look for a replacement habit. The new routine needs to pay off in ways that are similar to the original—eliciting sleep, relaxation or indulgence as needed.

If you find yourself regularly drinking to get through the workday, it might be time to reassess your relationship with alcohol and seek support if necessary. Short-term effects of excessive alcohol intake can include hangovers and acute stress on the body and internal organs. Long-term, this consumption pattern can lead to chronic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, various forms of cancer, and heart diseases, including hypertension, arrhythmias, and an increased risk of stroke. Notably, The New York Times reports that even minimal alcohol consumption carries health risks, debunking the myth that small amounts may be safe or even beneficial.

Hoyman acknowledged that despite these accommodation requirements, there can be a stigma attached to alcoholism that isn’t attached to other ADA-covered conditions. Employers should proceed carefully when it comes to employees who struggle with alcoholism. However, an employer can discipline, discharge or deny employment to an individual whose use of alcohol adversely affects his or her job performance or conduct, Hoyman said.