Alcohol Use Is Harming Employees and Costing Workplaces Billions
How does alcohol use affect your workplace? Think that alcohol use is not a significant factor in your workplace? If so, think again. Alcohol use has a huge impact on workplace productivity, attendance, and employee turnover. Surprisingly, the workplaces most often affected by alcohol use are small- mid-sized employers.
"Smaller firms may be particularly disadvantaged by worker substance use and abuse. For example, while about half of all U.S. workers work for small and medium sized businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees), about nine in ten employed current illicit drug users and almost nine in ten employed heavy drinkers work for small and medium sized firms."
Yet, according to S.L. Larson, J. Eyerman, M.S. Foster, and J.C. Gfroerer in Worker Substance Use and Workplace Policies and Programs, these are the workplaces that are least likely to test for substance abuse, have an alcohol and drug use program in place, and may even attract workers with alcohol and substance abuse problems because of this.(1)
The same study in 2007, estimated that 22.3 million people, 9% of US residents age 12 and up, were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year. Of these, 15.5 million abused or were dependent on alcohol, 3.7 million abused or were dependent on drugs, and 3.2 million abused or were dependent on both alcohol and illicit drugs.(3)
Among 55.3 million adult binge drinkers, 44.0 million, or 79.4% were employed. Of 16.4 million persons reporting heavy alcohol use, 13.1 million, 79.6% were employed.(4)
Of 20.4 million adults with substance dependence or abuse, 12.3 million or 60.4% were employed full-time.(5)
According to the US Department of Labor website, while the prevalence of substance use among employed people is lower than among the unemployed, a large number of employed people use drugs and alcohol. In 2007, 8.4% of those employed full-time were current illicit drug users. 8.8% reported heavy alcohol use. The industry groups with the highest rates of heavy alcohol use were construction, arts, entertainment and recreation, and mining. Workplaces with the lowest rates of alcohol use were health care and social assistance and educational services.
Prem Paritosh
PGDM -2nd
How does alcohol use affect your workplace? Think that alcohol use is not a significant factor in your workplace? If so, think again. Alcohol use has a huge impact on workplace productivity, attendance, and employee turnover. Surprisingly, the workplaces most often affected by alcohol use are small- mid-sized employers.
"Smaller firms may be particularly disadvantaged by worker substance use and abuse. For example, while about half of all U.S. workers work for small and medium sized businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees), about nine in ten employed current illicit drug users and almost nine in ten employed heavy drinkers work for small and medium sized firms."
Yet, according to S.L. Larson, J. Eyerman, M.S. Foster, and J.C. Gfroerer in Worker Substance Use and Workplace Policies and Programs, these are the workplaces that are least likely to test for substance abuse, have an alcohol and drug use program in place, and may even attract workers with alcohol and substance abuse problems because of this.(1)
How Big Is the Alcohol Use Problem in the Workplace?
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, nearly 58 million people, 23.3% of the US population age 12 and up, participated in binge drinking (having five or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days). About 17 million people, 6.9% of the US population age 12 and up, reported heavy drinking (binge drinking on at least 5 of the past 30 days). (2)The same study in 2007, estimated that 22.3 million people, 9% of US residents age 12 and up, were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year. Of these, 15.5 million abused or were dependent on alcohol, 3.7 million abused or were dependent on drugs, and 3.2 million abused or were dependent on both alcohol and illicit drugs.(3)
Among 55.3 million adult binge drinkers, 44.0 million, or 79.4% were employed. Of 16.4 million persons reporting heavy alcohol use, 13.1 million, 79.6% were employed.(4)
Of 20.4 million adults with substance dependence or abuse, 12.3 million or 60.4% were employed full-time.(5)
According to the US Department of Labor website, while the prevalence of substance use among employed people is lower than among the unemployed, a large number of employed people use drugs and alcohol. In 2007, 8.4% of those employed full-time were current illicit drug users. 8.8% reported heavy alcohol use. The industry groups with the highest rates of heavy alcohol use were construction, arts, entertainment and recreation, and mining. Workplaces with the lowest rates of alcohol use were health care and social assistance and educational services.
Prem Paritosh
PGDM -2nd
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