The more astute among you will recognise the title as a lovely IPA made made by the St. Austell Brewery in Cornwall. It is my way of introducing the main topic of today’s post – the links between alcohol and work. Work culture has changed significantly in recent years so it is no longer the norm for workers to have a few drinks at lunchtime before heading back to the job. This of course has major benefits in terms of increased productivity, a healthier workforce and big reductions in accidents at work. Alcohol and machinery do not mix. Alchololol ant keyborts dont mix ether.
It has long been recognised that alcohol problems seem to be more prevalent in some jobs and professions than in others. Studies differ in terms of the rankings for these jobs and it is likely they shift over time as regulations and cultures change. The negative effects of alcohol in the workplace can manifest in different ways, from increased absenteeism due to alcohol-related health problems, reduced productivity due to hangovers and fatigue, and to increases in error and accidents due to impaired attention and concentration. The impact obviously varies from workplace to workplace – from financially disastrous decisions in the commercial world to life threatening incidents involving planes, trains and automobiles (a little cultural reference there, for good measure).
A recent cross-sectional study by the University of Liverpool found that heavy drinking (defined as more than 50 units of alcohol per week for men and more than 35 units per week for women) was most common among publicans and managers of licensed premises. Men in skilled trade occupations such as in construction and manufacturing, and workers involved in industrial cleaning occupations were also most likely to drink heavily. An interesting personal note here – my grandfather worked as a boiler descaler in a brewery (of all places), and I remember he certainly enjoyed a drink or two. I had quite a few alcohol clients who worked in these areas, including plasterers, roofers and tilers. Having a night on the tiles, raising the roof, and getting plastered, no doubt.
For women, it was those in managerial positions or who worked as senior officials who were most likely to report heavy drinking. At least risk were women working as school secretaries, biochemists and physiotherapists. Men least likely to report heavy drinking were members of the clergy, medical practitioners and town planners.
It is also generally recognised that the following jobs also pose a risk for the development of alcohol problems. Not in any particular order – doctors and healthcare professionals, entertainment and arts industry, hospitality, legal professionals, building industry, police officers, and military personnel. A common factor is often cited to be workplace stress.
Please see my Anxiety and Stress workshop for more detailed information, but we can view stress as a state in which the demands made of someone outweigh their resources to meet those demands. It is often thought that high-flyers in commerce and industry have the most stressful jobs, but in reality many studies have shown that workplace stress is most prevalent among those who have the least autonomy in the workplace – i.e., less control over the work-flow and demands of the job. It is likely that these workers are also less well placed to be able to deal with the stress – they are less likely to be members of the local golf club for example or able to take luxury holidays. An interesting point occurred to me while compiling this post. This does not happen often. I wondered if the advance of AI in the workplace could actually reduce workers’ autonomy, thereby creating more stress. Interestingly, the International Labour Organization reported that the introduction of AI could have this effect in some types of work, taking away control and decisions from the workers.
Unsociable hours and heavy workloads are factors that can increase workplace stress. One also needs to consider the role of self-selection. For example, are people drawn to the hospitality and licensing trade predisposed to developing these problems? It is difficult to establish direct causal links. Working in isolation can create opportunities to drink in the workplace (e.g., doctors, vets, solicitors). At the other end of the scale, there are jobs with a culture of drinking to develop bonding and acceptance. The role of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also important to consider. PTSD is associated with the development of alcohol and drug problems. Workers in the military and emergency services are likely to have a higher incidence of PTSD because of the nature of their work. Again, workplace culture is an important factor – it used to be the case that police and military personnel would not share their feelings, to the detriment of their mental health. There is hope that this is beginning to change.
Well, I hope that reading through this has not been too much like hard work. The flavour is certainly a bit different from the last couple of posts. If you would like some light relief, search for “Windy Miller Drunk” to see a well-known children’s TV character in Camberwick Green fall asleep at work because of his “very strong” homemade cider! Until tomorrow, keep safe and well.
Alcohol Trivia Quiz
Yesterday’s answers:
1. Guinness and Champagne. [Cider and Champagne].
2. Fuller’s.
3. F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Today’s questions:
1. What was a “Party Seven”?
2. What are fuggle, challenger and golding?
3. Carlsberg Special Brew was made in honour of who?
Understand Yourself Better 