Attitudes of employees and employers towards those experiencing alcohol-use related problems: visibility, responses and options for support

Introduction:
This article presents study findings on employee and employer attitudes towards those experiencing alcohol-use related problems. The study examined the ability of employees to identify these problems in the workplace, the willing-ness of employees to disclose, the consequences faced by the individual experiencing these problems and the possibilities of receiving support.

Material and methods:
Focus-group interviews were conducted with 4 professional groups of health and education-sector employers and employees (n = 23). Six directors and 17 employees of health and/or education institutions from all over Poland participated (16 women and 7 men, convenience sample).

Results:
The study participants discussed the themes of alcohol inebriation in the workplace as well as the moral dilemmas arising from these issues. Given the professional context of work involving contact with children and adolescents or with patients, these problems are regarded as particularly serious.

Discussion:
In the discussion, reference was made to existing legal procedures that encourage transparency and provide a sense of security. It was emphasised that a prompt yet gradual response is required, with the objective of motivating the employee to undergo addiction treatment and ensuring that they can return to work afterwards.

Conclusions:
It was proposed that procedures should be flexible, with supportive and disciplinary elements. The theme of shaping staff health behaviour or an institutional strategy for health promotion or addiction prevention did not emerge in the interviews.