About two -thirds of workers are drinking more alcohol due to stress or pressure related to their jobs, found in new research.
A survey of 2,000 workers by Alcohol Change UK found that 64 percent of UK workers reported drinking alcohol for work related reasons – with the increased consumption in the last 12 months with job stress, pressure and anxiety.
Four out of 10 said that he drank more alcohol due to concern related to work, while 38 percent said that he drank more to deal with the stress of work.
More than a third of more than a third of the pressure or deadline, and 29 percent reported an increase in alcohol consumption due to insecurity of the job.
Jane Gardiner, head of Consultancy and Training at Research Group Alcohol Change UK, said: “Although the work we do is extremely diverse, this research suggests that in the last year, many of us are drinking more alcohol in trying to manage work related stress, anxiety, pressure and insecurity of jobs.
“Nevertheless, from poor sleep and hangover to high blood pressure, depression and other health conditions, alcohol can take a large toll on our health and good.
“While it can offer short-term relief to some, over time it is more likely to spoil the feelings of stress, anxiety, and pressure and leads to a cycle of self-healing, which we want, even if it can be free.”
Research has been issued to mark the onset of the liquor awareness week, and the work has been sought from employees for preventive action and education around alcohol at work.
This year’s theme ‘Alcohol and Work’ focuses on how the work environment and pressure can affect our way of drinking, and we can create healthy, more inclusive workplace cultures.
More than 8 out of 10 of the workers in the survey believe that employers have some responsibility to address alcohol at the workplace – but more than a third said that they feel more comfortable to talk about mental health in the workplace than alcohol.
Ms. Gardiner said: “The progress seen in mental health in the workplace in recent years has been encouraged to promote mirroring, compassion and reduce stigma and reduce stigma, alcohol awareness and workers have been encouraged to see such strong hunger for education.
“What is extremely positive, is that employees recognize the preventive, active action where there are factors of alcohol – when an issue itself presents themselves above reactive action.
“This is the kind of support that will begin to reduce alcohol from a taboo subject, raise awareness about the effect of our drinking habits and to prevent the loss of alcohol before our overall health and good and before it happens.”
