Drink two-thirds to deal with stress at work and insecurity

Nearly two-thirds of UK workers (64%) admit drinking alcohol to deal with work-related stress, pressure, and insecurity.

Alcohol Change UK conducted a survey of 2,007 UK employees and found that 83% believed their employer had some responsibility in addressing alcohol at work.

The research revealed that 40% of those who reported drinking for work-related purposes increased their alcohol consumption because they were anxious about work.

The same proportion (38%) reported that they consumed more alcohol in order to deal with the stress of their jobs, while 36% said it was due to pressure or deadlines.

Alcohol Change UK’s research revealed that almost three out of ten (29%) people reported an increase in alcohol consumption due to job insecurity.

The research concluded that when asked why we drink during working hours, three factors were cited: the availability of free alcohol at work, stress related to the job, and the availability of alcohol on the workplace.

While research suggests that work influences our drinking habits and behavior, only 21% believed that their alcohol consumption on days off, weekdays or evenings affected their performance at work. A majority of respondents (59%) did not believe that drinking alcohol had an impact on their job performance.

The research found that almost twice as many women (15%) than men (27%) reported that alcohol had an impact on their work performance.

Over a third of workers (36%) said they were more comfortable discussing mental health at work than alcohol. 33% also agreed that their workplace could benefit from increased alcohol education and awareness.

Nearly four out of ten (38%) respondents said they would be happy if their employer organised staff training or education regarding alcohol at the workplace.

Only 9% of employees felt that employers had no responsibility to deal with alcohol in the work place, while over four-fifths (83%) said they believed employers have at least one area to deal with alcohol in the office.

Employees were asked to identify the three main areas where alcohol is a part of employers’ responsibilities. Preventative action, mental health support, and policies and processes were the top three. This reflects a desire from employees to have alcohol included in the workplace agenda.

Jane Gardiner is the head of consulting and training for Alcohol Change UK. She said, “Despite the fact that the work we do at Alcohol Change UK is extremely varied, the research shows that many of us have consumed more alcohol over the past year in order to cope with work-related anxiety, stress, and pressure.

Alcohol can have a negative impact on our health. It can cause poor sleep, hangovers, high blood pressure and depression, among other conditions. Although it may provide some temporary relief, it is more likely to worsen stress, anxiety, and pressure over time. It can also lead to a self-medicating cycle that’s hard to break, even if you want to.