This may be why 14% of respondents admitted that, on at least one occasion, they’ve acted inappropriately during afterwork drinks. “The employer couldn’t simply chuckle at employee A, who isn’t an alcoholic, for coming to work hung over after a night of binge drinking while disciplining employee B, who is an alcoholic, for doing the same thing,” she said. An employer should not request or require an alcohol test unless there is “reasonable cause,” Shea said. This could include slurred speech, an odor of alcohol, an accident that appears to have been caused by substance abuse, impaired mobility or the discovery of empty bottles of alcohol in the employee’s desk drawer. Supervisors should not drink with, or purchase drinks for, a subordinate unless all employees are invited.
Effective Strategies to Manage After-Work Drinking Habits
Carmen Bush, an employee at a tech company in the Bay Area, said her company’s weekly “TGIF” party starts Does Marijuana Kill Brain Cells at 4 p.m. “My co-workers would grab six bottles and stake out a table and we would all just hunker down and start pounding it,” she says. Drinking with colleagues and bosses that is a familiar part of workplace culture.
Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. The costs to society in terms of lost productivity, health care costs, traffic accidents, and personal tragedies are staggering. Numerous studies and reports have been issued on the workplace costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and they report costs that range from $33 billion to $68 billion per year. Alcohol is a major factor in injuries, both at home, at work, and on the road. Please see the Appendix – The Disease of Alcoholism for a further discussion of alcoholism. Those in the professional class also struggle with substance abuse, possibly fueled by after work drinking.
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Lastly, the physical and mental toll of regular drinking can lead to decreased productivity. In turn, this affects professional relationships, potentially leading to missed opportunities, job loss, and a damaged reputation. Studies suggest that regular after-work drinking rituals, although socially and symbolically significant, primarily highlight the negative consequences for colleagues and the workplace environment. These rituals can contribute to a culture where alcohol becomes an implicit requirement for socializing, potentially excluding or pressuring those who abstain. Given the potential for severe health outcomes, including liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma, reducing excessive alcohol intake is critical.
Is Drinking After Work Getting Out of Control?
We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Management training and specific HR support are also essential so that both employees and line managers know how to access support. We ask for your credit card to allow your subscription to continue should you decide to keep your membership beyond the free trial period. More than ever, disgruntled employees have been taking to TikTok, Twitter, and other social media sites to share videos and posts of their b…
- You may find yourself pouring a drink after work because work is very stressful for many people regardless of the occupation.
- Along with this, however, the body becomes used to these amounts of alcohol and now suffers from withdrawal when the alcohol is not present.
- Cherry-picking employees to fraternize with could undoubtedly create tension and an undesirable workplace environment.
- In most cases, it would be appropriate for the employee to be carried on any available sick leave.
- Know that it’s a profitable decision, as it caters to the steady demand of those who choose to indulge at the end of the day.
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Research indicates that even moderate drinking can lead to an irregular heartbeat and heightened blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for more severe cardiovascular diseases. Long-term effects of regular after-work drinking may include the development of hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease. These conditions can lead to heart attacks and strokes, which are life-threatening events with long-term health implications. The cardiovascular system is also sensitive to the calorie content in alcoholic beverages, which can contribute to weight gain and obesity, further exacerbating heart health risks. When drinking is deeply embedded in a company’s culture, it can become a crutch and a substitute for the very kind of connection that managers hope to foster when they organize happy hours.
After-work drinking may have significant repercussions on cardiovascular health. While moderate alcohol consumption can be part of a balanced lifestyle, excessive intake is linked to a range of heart-related issues. An important aspect to consider is the immediate effect alcohol has on heart rhythm, particularly in individuals with a history of cardiac arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation. This condition disrupts the effective pumping of blood, potentially leading to serious complications, including stroke.