HR file: Why educating your workforce about alcohol matters

Seventeen million sick days are taken in the UK every year due to alcohol and each day around 200,000 people turn up to work with a hangover. Alcohol is the world’s number one risk factor for ill-health and premature death among 25 to 59-year-olds, the core of the working age population.

But while we can talk generally about cutting back on smoking, obesity, and exercise, is it still taboo to discuss alcohol with your workforce without sounding like you are casting judgement?

Most people are aware of ‘don’t drink and drive’ messages. The statistics show deaths and serious accidents from drinking and driving have fallen by three-quarters over the past 35 years. But there is still some work to be done to help people understand whether they are over the limit the next day. If you employ drivers or pilots this is vital and probably something already addressed. But did you know it takes an hour for each unit of alcohol to work its way through your system? If your employees are starting early then passing on that message is vital.