Creating healthy workplaces: Reducing alcohol-related harm

This report is for employers, policymakers and workplace health practitioners. It aims to share the findings of the Workplace Reduction of Alcohol-Related Harm Project (WRAHP)*, conducted as part of VicHealth’s Creating Healthy Workplaces program.

This project involved a comprehensive and tailored intervention designed to build knowledge on how to reduce alcohol-related harm in the workplace. It focused on the manufacturing industry and targeted manufacturing workers, a workforce group shown in previous research to have a high prevalence of risky drinking, and drinking at work.

This innovative and rigorously evaluated study focused on promoting a workplace environment and culture that inhibits and discourages risky alcohol use. A whole-of-workplace approach was used to bring about change, as the social, structural and environmental factors of a person’s workplace influence their alcohol use, alongside their own individual behaviour and attitudes.

The WRAHP project is one of few empirical interventions that demonstrate success in reducing drinking to levels closer to those recommended in Australia’s Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. The project significantly reduced risky drinking and ‘presenteeism’ (the number of employees coming to work unwell or with a hangover), while improving attitudes to alcohol, employee awareness of the workplace alcohol and drug policy, and access to alcohol-related health and wellbeing services.

*VicHealth refers to this project as The Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm project.

This project was led by the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). It was conducted in collaboration with LeeJenn Health Consultants and the City of Greater Dandenong’s South East Business Network (SEBN). The project was funded by VicHealth.

Download Resources

	Pidd, K., Cameron, J., Roche, A., & Lee, N. (2016). Creating healthy workplaces. Final report: Reducing alcohol-related harm, . Melbourne: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth).
An earlier report and a discussion paper were also published by the Creating Healthy Workplaces program to build new knowledge of what works in reducing alcohol-related harm in the workplace and to captures early insights from the workplace interventions. These were also launched at the workplace health forum. The reports pertaining to NCETA's workplace prevention are provided below. Visit VicHealth's website for more information about other studies funded under their Creating Healthy Workplaces Program.
	VicHealth. (2012). Reducing alcohol-related harm in the workplace (An evidence review: summary report). Victorian Heath Promotion Foundation: Melbourne, Australia.
	Cercarelli, R., Allsop, S., Evans, M. & Velander, F. (2012). Reducing alcohol-related harm in the workplace (An evidence review: full report). Victorian Health Promotion Foundation: Melbourne, Australia.

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If you want to know more about how NCETA's Changing Workplace Cultures Model and how we may help your workplace or organisation develop effective alcohol and other drug policies, procedures, and practices please Contact us