The use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in the workplace can have serious implications for workers who use AOD, their colleagues and the organisation.
AOD use in the workplace can lead to absenteeism (where workers are unable to come to work, and presenteeism (where workers are ‘on the job’ but unfit to work), both of which are costly for organisations. In fact, alcohol use alone has been estimated to cost Australian workplaces $4.0 billion, with absenteeism accounting for nearly 90 percent.
Workplace AOD can also impact the wellbeing of all workers by introducing risks for physical accidents, injuries and violence, as well as emotional harms through antisocial behaviour, workplace bullying or a lack of morale. These physical and emotional risks can be reduced through policy, education and training, brief interventions and counselling, support and referrals.
Reducing AOD use in the workplace is not only about minimising organisational risk and protecting worker safety. Given the percentage of the Australian population who are employed and the considerable time they spend at work, workplaces represent a valuable public health context for promoting responsible AOD use more generally.
Your Worklife
NCETA has developed the Your Worklife website in collaboration with the Government of South Australia. The aims of Your Worklife are to help workplaces:
- Prevent, reduce and respond to AOD issues, and
- Develop AOD policies - the central component of any response to workplace alcohol and drug issues.
The Your WorkLife site explain the who, how and why of workplace alcohol and drug use. Each section contains downloadable resources: Fact Sheets, Videos, How-To-Guides, Toolbox Talks and Posters / Handouts.
These resources are intended to help workers and workplaces to:
- Understand more about alcohol and drugs
- promote workplace safety
- increase productivity
- reduce absenteeism
- comply with duty of care and legal obligations
- improve morale and wellbeing.
Workplace consultancy
AOD-related harm in the workplace is a complex issue. There is no ‘one size fits all response'. Any response should be evidence-based and tailored to suit the specific needs of individual workplaces.
NCETA offers expert consultancy research and advice to workplaces and organisations on a range of work-related AOD issues including:
- Understanding pattens of workplace AOD use
- Which workers use which drugs in which ways and at what kinds of risk levels?
- Providing AOD education and training
- Training for whole-of-workplace or for particular groups like staff, managers, volunteers, OHS staff
- Supervisor and occupational health and safety staff training programs
- Co-designing workplace AOD policies
- Workplace AOD interventions
- Assessing the evidence for specific programs/interventions
- Trial and implementation of AOD interventions
- Evaluation of education, training, policies and programs/interventions.
To start a conversation about how our NCETA’s can help you understand, prevent, minimise and address AOD issues in your workplace, please Contact us.