Alcohol misuse in and around the workplace is a sensitive and complex issue which many employers struggle to confront. While recent reports suggest that drinking cultures across both private and public sectors are stronger than ever with an increasingly high proportion of workers drinking above recommended guidelines, many companies feel ill equipped to address a problem where the roots are often embedded in the culture of their own organisation. On the one hand, alcohol misuse is a major factor behind absenteeism from work with previous surveys suggesting that over 14 million sick days occur in the UK alone from alcohol related issues and 60% of employers experience problems in the workplace related to drinking. This has a damaging effect on
productivity, morale and the health of the employee.
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Conversely, the harsh economic climate of recent years has meant that finding and retaining good staff is not always easy. The motivational and reward aspect of drinking can bond teams and is a required part of many job roles where entertaining clients is expected. Company practices can actually end up encouraging excessive drinking and will exacerbate existing problems around alcohol in some vulnerable employees.
So what happens when the balance of acceptable drinking starts to tip? Finding a balanced approach to a widespread problem can be difficult, especially where the worker is a hard to reach professional, maybe a doctor or a lawyer who does not respond well to intervention.
This conference will examine the repercussions of excessive drinking across a range of industries and professions, looking at the potential triggers, what organisations can do to ensure the safety and health of their workforce and recognising the behavioural signs that indicate an intervention may be necessary. It will also offer guidance on assessment and rehabilitation and will look at the subject of alcoholism in the context of employment protection law.
The conference will explore a number of key pieces of legislation which go towards creating a safe working environment but also protect the privacy and human rights of the employee. The programme will equip delegates with best practice ideas for creating or updating their drug and alcohol polices and will explore what type of drug and alcohol testing programmes are available and the legalities surrounding their use.
Finally delegates will be presented with some mock scenarios where they can hear from and question a panel of experts on the safety, legal and disciplinary aspects of each case.
Who should attend?
• Anyone concerned with the health and wellbeing of their workforce
• Human resource professionals
• Occupational health managers
• Health & safety professionals
• Managing directors and supervisors
• Security professionals
• Workers compensation professionals
• Employee assistance professionals
