Alcohol abuse in the workplace: a managerial dilemma

Business Horizons, Nov-Dec, 1992 by Alan R. Sell, Richard G. Newman

All methods of dealing with alcohol abuse have their drawbacks, but one way or another, managers must take action.

The initial problem faced by all levels of supervision in dealing with alcohol abuse in the workplace is finding a realistic definition of "abuse." Even the widely accepted medical definition, which characterizes it as a long-term disease, creates much controversy. Archer (1977) says, "This concept sees alcoholism as a cumulative process in which the individual drinker gradually increases his consumption over the years, from occasional to habitual intoxication, and ultimately to a state of complete physiological and psychological dependence on alcohol. This progression of steps to total dependency, or addiction, is accompanied by stages of social deterioration, marked by familial and marital disruption, antisocial acts, work and money trouble, drinking with social inferiors, etc." Recovery equates to 100 percent abstinence. Support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), keep the individual from "falling off the wagon."

A second definition is the social definition. It simply states that the problem is the use of alcoholic beverages when it repeatedly "exceeds customary dietary use or ordinary compliance with the social drinking of the community and interferes with the drinker's health, interpersonal relations, or economic functioning" (Trice and Roman 1972).

A third view focuses on the problems associated with alcohol abuse rather than the disease concept as the criteria of interest. Trice and Roman provide the following pragmatic guidelines for the three stages of alcohol abuse.

1. Normal drinking: does not alter behavior, interfere with the effective and efficient performance of role assignments and obligations, or significantly affect day-to-day functioning.

2. Deviant drinking: behavior that both exceeds bounds of community definitions and impairs role performance.

3. Alcohol addiction: physiological loss of control over drinking.

The Real Issue

Conflict over all these views will not be resolved soon. Banta and Tennant (1989) offer two basic comments on the entire issue. First, while there is debate over whether alcoholism is an illness and what causes it, all agree that alcoholism is a condition of dependency on alcohol. Second, alcohol is, of course, a drug. Organizations should focus on these two points. Precise definitions are not at issue; the orientation should be on dealing with drug dependency or substance abuse.

Causes of the problem are as elusive as a true defintion. Potential causes range from social influences to organizational pressures (Steele 1988). Ames (1987) claims that the workplace can strongly promote heavy alcohol use if workers feel alienated and if managers adopt a permissive and ambiguous attitude toward alcohol.

Management must set the standards. Though drinking on the job is usually cause for some form of sanction, many companies are hesitant to specify policies beyond on-site consumption or condition on arrival at work. Some view policies or positions taken on situations beyond work as invasion of privacy.

Trice and Roman again offer a list of factors within an organization that are potential causes of alcohol abuse. These include:

* Risks in which lack of visibility is most prominent, such as an absence of clear-cut goals, freedom to set work hours, low structural visibility, occupational obsolescence, and new work status.

* Absence of social controls such as required on-the-job drinking (extensive entertaining).

* Other factors, such as severe role stress and competitive pressure.

Other job-specific causes of alcohol abuse are a lack of personal achievement, lack of recognition, and unchallenging work (Campbell and Graham 1988).

Who Is the Abuser?

Identifying alcohol abusers is as difficult as pinning down a universal definition of alcohol abuse. There are, however, some guidelines in this area. Archer (1977) offers some basic alcohol abuse tendencies:

1. Alcoholics work regularly while their malady is in its incipient and middle stages;

2. Problem drinkers are rather evenly distributed through all occupational groups;

3. The middle-stage alcoholic is lodged heavily among male employees aged 35 to 50;

4. Work efficiency declines as alcoholism develops;

5. The absenteeism rate for a company's problem drinkers is significantly higher than for nonalcoholics.

Actual detection signs in the individual may be divided into two classes: physical and behavioral. Many sources list the physical signs used to detect an abuse problem. These include slurred speech, unsteady gait, and bloodshot eyes.

Mendelson and Libbin (1988) offer the following inclusive list of behavioral signs:

* Frequent tardiness, absenteeism, or leaving work early;

* Frequent long lunch hours or breaks;

* Increasing irritability or other personality changes;

* Avoidance of supervisors and coworkers;

* Personality conflicts with coworkers;

* Blaming others for on-the-job difficulties;

* Decreased efficiency;