According to Active Health Partners (AHP), over-indulgence in the festive season will cost UK employers millions, as people take time off to recover.
In the workplace, the greatest cost incurred by alcohol is the decreased productivity of affected employees as a result of hangover-related absenteeism and poor job performance. Millions of working days are lost to hangovers and drink-related illness each Christmas.
Last December, gastrointestinal conditions accounted for 19% of calls recorded by AHPs' nurse contact centre with absences generally coinciding with Christmas parties. This year, AHP are gearing up with extra nurses for the expected high volume of calls as the Christmas party season gets underway.
Is it all just harmless fun? AHP warns employees that there are dangers to their Health & Safety resulting from excessive drinking. Photocopying body parts may seem good fun (and it probably is!) but sitting on a photocopier could result in more than the party-goer intended - a visit to A&E!
AHP launched with its first client in late 2003. One of AHPs' first clients was Brakes, the UK's leading supplier of food to the catering industry. Following a successful pilot study covering 1,200 employees, where AHP helped reduce absence by 30%, Brakes decided to roll-out the service to all its 6,000 employees. Following initial successes, AHP now has a broad client base spanning both the private and public sectors, including organisations such as Sirva/Pickfords, Kingston Communications, City of York Council and Worcester NHS Trust.
Alas there is no cure. Headache, nausea, tiredness, irritability....Despite the myth that mixing drinks or red wine causes hangovers, it's just that - a myth. 'Congeners' are added to alcoholic drinks to make them taste like they do and it is believed that it is these (in quantity) that add to the hangover itself.
AHP recommends taking sensible precautions and make sure that somebody is keeping sober and looking after the well-being of the employer and employee.
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