How to know if an employee has an alcohol problem and how to help

Business owners and senior management are becoming more and more aware of just how crucial mental well being is to running a productive, happy, healthy company.

It’s more apparent than ever that professionals have a much higher risk of stress, anxiety, depression and alcohol problems.

As an example, those working in the medical sector are also more at risk to developing a drinking problem. Out of 7,200 surgeons from the American College of Surgeons, 15% were identified as having a severe drinking problem.

So why are those who are highly successful in their career so much more prone to drinking problems?

It’s a good idea to start off with some of the reasons why high-achieving employees may develop a drinking problem. This is so you can spot the signs and offer the right support…

All work and just as much play?

One of the most prevalent, and obvious, reasons successful employees are more prone to drinking is the hard work they do on a day to day basis. Reaching for that bottle of wine is a person’s subconscious way of saying “I’m unavailable.” If they’re getting drunk then they mentally won’t be able to do the work - as a lot of employees find it harder to switch off naturally. Alcohol is an attempt to restore the work-play balance.

Solution: Offer free counselling or therapy as part of your employee perks package and have a “no contact” policy after hours or during staff holidays unless there’s an emergency.

Culture of enablers

After work drinks, parties with free bars, team building retreats stocked up with booze, or even drinking in office while working late. It doesn’t help that some firms are active enablers when it comes to drinking alcohol. There’s a culture of encouragement around drink - it helps loosen people up when talking to clients, but it can also damage relationships with clients.

Solution: Prohibit the use of alcohol in office and ensure team building days and parties aren’t centred around alcohol.

Stress, depression and anxiety

Office politics, heavy workloads, overwhelming personal and professional to-do lists and long hours can take their toll on employees. It sounds obvious, but it’s easy not to notice an employee is feeling stressed, anxious or even depressed because they’re having trouble dealing with work, family, health issues and so on. Some people use alcohol as a numbing tool to forget their worries for a few hours.

Solution: Ensure you check-in monthly with your employees to see how they’re coping with their workload. Encourage honesty and be supportive.

These are just a few of the many reasons why people may develop an alcohol problem. So how can you recognise it and how can you help?

The first step is knowing that alcohol issues fall into many different categories. An employee may not be drinking all day every day, but may binge at the weekend or drink a bottle of wine every evening.

Binge drinking: Drinking a harmful amount of alcohol in one sitting. They may not drink every day...or even every week. But when they do drink they drink copious amounts.

Alcohol abuse: Drinking despite recurrent negative problems (especially those caused by alcohol in the first place). This is when people will neglect their responsibilities, take more risks, indulge in impulsive behaviour and, perhaps, get in trouble with the law.

Alcohol dependency: This is also called ‘alcoholism.’ Alcohol dependent people will crave alcohol, develop a tolerance and will experience withdrawal when they’re not drinking.

Alcohol problems are a spectrum, or rather a slippery slope, and it can be difficult to identify who could have a drinking problem.

Here are a few ways you may be able to tell if an employee is struggling with an alcohol problem:

• Over-defensive and argumentative
• Less care taken over physical appearance and personal hygiene
• Inconsistent performance at work
• Bloodshot eyes or just a general ‘tired’ look
• Regularly late
• Frequent ‘emergencies’
• Sluggishness in the mornings
• Lack of commitment / follow through (i.e. cancelling on meetings, missing deadlines)
• Calling in sick frequently (especially on Mondays and possibly Fridays)
• Requesting to work from home more often
• Closed off about personal life (people with drinking problems may be experiencing troubles in their personal life)

What next?

It may not be easy to approach an employee you suspect of having an alcohol problem, but it’s also something you can’t ignore.

The first thing to do is educate yourself on alcohol issues, so you can approach the employee in question with care, respect and dignity. Make sure you avoid using the word 'addiction' as it could deter your employee from opening up to you. Instead use the word 'alcohol problem' or 'drinking problem.'

If you're absolutely sure the person has a drinking problem, then it could be a good idea to stage an intervention. If you feel you haven't got the resources or the HR staff to hold an intervention then you could always call in a Sober Coach to help you plan what to say and how to approach it.

The core of a successful intervention is the approach. You should be open-minded and caring, while expressing your concern for your employee's physical and mental well being. That said, you should also mention the consequences for other people in the workplace, as a result of the employee’s alcohol problems (but don’t guilt trip them!).

Last, but certainly not least, it’s important to remember the recovery process shouldn’t fall entirely on your shoulders. Refer your employee to a GP, clinic, therapist or support centre where they can start their journey towards becoming sober.

Bunmi is a sober coach and intervention specialist for professionals struggling with drinking problems all over the world. Her approach adopts a variety of holistic therapies, while taking into account nutrition, personality, personal goals and more. Each plan is tailored to each person’s busy schedule and personal needs.