There’s a good chance that someone in your office is drinking on the job — and it’s affecting your company’s bottom line.
One of the biggest drains on productivity these days is “presenteeism,” when employees come to work despite being ill or having personal issues, and instead of focusing on their work they are distracted and unproductive. By some estimates, the average worker loses 115 productive hours per year to presenteeism, costing employers billions of dollars. That’s not even accounting for the costs associated with treating health problems related to drinking too much.
While illness and personal stress are major factors in presenteeism, one of the biggest contributors is substance abuse, specifically alcohol. In fact, a study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs showed that as many as 15 percent of the U.S. workforce — 19.2 million workers — has been impaired by alcohol while on the job, either because of drinking on the job or suffering the effects of drinking too much while off the clock.
One Drink or 10, It’s All the Same
The JSAD investigation, conducted by Michael Frone at the State University of New York, Buffalo, was a phone survey of 2,800 randomly selected adults. The survey questions dealt with the respondents’ alcohol use as it related to their work; specifically, the survey asked how often adults drank alcohol within two hours of starting work or during work, how often they worked while under the influence of alcohol or came to work with a hangover during the previous 12 months. In general, white, unmarried men were more likely to report drinking on the job, as were those who don’t work a regular 9-to-5 schedule.
Specifically, the study found the largest number of respondents drank during the workday or came to work with a hangover. According to the report, approximately 7 percent of the workforce has used alcohol during the workday, and 9 percent has come to work with symptoms of a hangover. It should be noted, though, that the study defined workday alcohol use as any type or amount of alcohol at any point during the day. That means respondents who had an occasional glass of wine during a client lunch or came to work with a hangover the day after the Super Bowl were counted, even if they were isolated examples or company-sanctioned drinks.
While it might appear that the general workforce is coming to work tipsy, the survey also indicated that 70 percent of those who reported alcohol use on the job only indulge occasionally, meaning less than monthly. Only 11 percent of those who admitted to workday alcohol use reported doing so weekly. But again, a large number of people report coming to work hung over, which in some cases impairs productivity as much as actually being drunk.
The journal’s report may have offered startling statistics about the prevalence of alcohol in the workplace, but it did not delve into the reasons why employees opt to drink at work or have a few too many when they know they have to work the next day. But regardless of the reasons, it’s clear that alcohol is causing problems in the workplace, not the least of which are the lost productivity and revenue caused by drunk or hung-over employees.
Let’s be real: going through rehab is one of the toughest, grittiest and most physically, emotionally and psychologically challenging things anyone can do. And we’ve done it. And it sucked, didn’t it? But getting sober was, for me, the best thing that could have ever happened. It was worth the struggle. It was worth the crying, the fits, the fighting (and I fought it, tooth-and-nail, I fought it), the screaming, even the horrible withdrawal…I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Well, maybe. If I was feeling particularly vindictive. But I am trying to work on letting those types of feelings go (ha). 
In June 1971 President Richard Nixon officially declared a “war on drugs” in America and cited drug abuse as “public enemy No. 1.” Could he have known then his words would spark not only decades of heated debate, but a violent internal and international struggle that continues up to this day?
It’s probably wishful thinking for a lot of people: I wish I had never started smoking, they say. If you’re a smoking parent, chances are good that you’ve tried to quit so you can serve as an example for your kids. If you’re the child of a smoker, you might have asked your parent or parents to stop for your sake. It’s not a superficial lamentation, like wishing you could have been born with the legs of a runway model; smoking is, unfortunately, an incredibly common and fatal habit that can be easily avoided. The good news is that it can also be quit, and while the journey can be rough, the destination is so worth the effort.
When Ted and I got married and stood before all our friends and family, vowing to love and honor each other in sickness and in health, I thought that meant I was supposed to just turn the other cheek when his drunken behavior turned on me and he raged at me for the littlest things, like ordering him the wrong take-out from the Chinese place or buying a new pair of shoes. His changeable manner, from the sweet, affectionate guy I fell in love with and married to the sullen bull with a nasty temper, gave me whiplash, on a monthly basis at first, then a weekly, then almost daily. It wasn’t until a few years of his heaviest drinking went by that I began to realize that my passive behavior wasn’t helping; it was hurting both of us and our marriage.
Everyone needs a little pick me up once in a while, especially if they’re suffering through a major illness or simply had a horrible day at work. You could seek solace in your friends, family members, children or spouse, but many times these individuals are the major source of your stress and anxiety. Sometimes you just want to read about how someone else is improving his or her life, and maybe even a few tips and suggestions to get yourself back on track. If you’re looking for a little inspiration, here are the Top 5 Blogs you should consider perusing. Don’t be surprised when you find yourself reading one or all of these informative, uplifting or simply amusing blogs every day.
When it comes to diseases passed via drugs, chances are the first that comes to mind is HIV. And while HIV is certainly a gargantuan concern, there are other serious conditions that can be passed via injected drugs as well.
