We all know someone at work who consumes a little too much alcohol and we wonder if they have a problem

It could be the the guy who drinks several cans of beer after work , or the girl who gets legless at workplace social gatherings or the boss who smells strongly of alcohol after lunch.

It really isn’t hard to notice these people (indeed, I myself was one) but what can you do to help a workmate who looks like a problem drinker? In all probability they won’t even know they have a problem, they’ll just think they are having a good time and their problem will just become a source of gossip and ridicule, but is that fair?

Take Val for example, she works as a cleaner in a department store and is a friendly and likable lady, but at any social work function she is always drunk before the party has started. During the party she’ll try to drag every young man she sees up onto the dancefloor despite their protests, she’ll embarrass herself throughout the evening and everyone will notice how inappropriate her behavior is, but will anyone talk to her about it? Everyone is aware that she has a problem, but she will only be disciplined when her drinking becomes a problem during work hours.

Shouldn’t something be done beforehand? Does the workplace not have some responsibility for the health of their staff? I believe that the Human Resources department within an organization should be informed about potential problem drinkers and controls should be put in place to help these poor individuals. It really is time to help these people rather than letting them become the butt of everyone’s jokes. Ultimately, (without help) they will end up losing their jobs.

Maybe we should work on developing a culture where social drinking isn’t necessary, alcohol is associated with having a good time and letting one’s hair down, but not everyone can be a light social drinker. People like Val need some positive help and assistance to deal with their alcohol problem and surely some of that responsibility should be down to their employers.