One in three employees has been to work with a hangover while more than one in 10 has been drunk at their desk, according to a poll.Those going into work feeling worse for wear admit making mistakes, doing as little as possible, going home early and struggling to concentrate.
Yet all this has not escaped the attention of their bosses, with 77% of employers believing alcohol is the number one threat to employee well-being and is encouraging sickness absence.
The poll of 1,000 people and 250 businesses found almost a third of employees (32%) had been to work with a hangover and 15% had been drunk at work. One in 10 said this happened at least once a month while one in 20 said it was once a week.
Of those who go to work on hangovers or have been drunk at work, 85% said it affected their performance or mood.
More than a third (36%) found it hard to concentrate, 35% were less productive, 42% felt tired to the point of being sleepy, 25% did the minimum amount of work and went home as soon as possible and almost one in 10 made lots of mistakes.
People working in media and creative jobs were the worst culprits, with 41% admitting they have been to work while still drunk. A quarter (24%) of those in construction have done the same, as have 23% of people working in professional and business services and 15% of people in IT.
More than half of employees (54%) questioned thought that their bosses and colleagues noticed a change in their productivity as a result of drinking. Almost a quarter (24%) have also felt embarrassed about something they have said or done in front of their boss or colleagues after drinking.
Dr Douglas Wright, from Norwich Union Healthcare, which carried out the survey, said: "It's essential that companies have a robust drug and alcohol policy and procedure to tackle and, where possible, prevent any problems developing. This should include provision for support and, potentially, referral to appropriate facilities."
Don Shenker, from Alcohol Concern, said: "With many people drinking at harmful levels it's not surprising to find that it is having an effect on the workplace. Employers need to watch out for the early warning signs that alcohol may be affecting their workers in a serious way
