Alcoholism at work

Hi Melanie,
Assuming there's no policy in place for such matters (many businesses went down an alcohol and substance misuse policy process introduction in recent times) I would advise the person's line manager invite them in to a private room, point out the concern, entirely without judgement, and ask for their response.

A straightforward, chat.

The alcohol that people can smell, can absolutely be alcohol and the person might be under the influence at work. If they open up about this, then I'd suggest the company works alongside them, sympathetically but reasonably, to support them, explaining that it will never be acceptable to present for work under the influence irrespective of what might be driving that person to this position. At the same time, look to see what support you can offer them if they do have an alcohol issue. Occupational Health assistance and employee assistance programmes can include for this usually.

Additionally, the alcohol could have been from the evening before, and not consumed in large quantities either, but taking longer than most people to metabolise. I recall a case where an employee presented themselves for work smelling of alcohol and they openly admitted to having consumed 2 glasses of wine the evening before, which I suppose would not be over-indulgent by most people's consumption. This should have metabolised out of their system in time for work the next day, but it hadn't, hence the smell. They subsequently visited the GP, had tests and it was discovered they had liver/kidney issues which meant they were metabolising the alcohol at a much slower rate than most people.

Lastly, it might not be alcohol at all. It could be other things that have the same smell. Some medicines and health conditions can have this affect I believe.

I guess the key is not to jump to any conclusions, act swiftly, ask the employee about the matter privately, and be supportive yet reasonably in assisting them if they need it.

Hope this helps.
Mark

Hi Mark,

Thank you for your swift reply. So far we have been managing the situation in a supportive way. We've previously spoken to the individual who has indicated that a type of herbal medication causes the smell of alcohol. They’ve been open and cooperative on every occasion when concerns have been highlighted as well as offering to undergo alcohol/ drug testing.
We don't have a specific policy in place; however the following exert is from the employee handbook.

‘You are expressly forbidden to consume alcohol or use drugs while on Company premises The effects of alcohol and drugs can be numerous:-(these are examples only and not an exhaustive list)
a absenteeism (e.g. unauthorised absence, lateness, excessive levels of sickness, etc.)
b higher accident levels (e.g. at work, elsewhere, driving to and from work)
c work performance (e.g. difficulty in concentrating, tasks taking more time, making mistakes, etc.).
If your performance or attendance at work is affected as a result of alcohol or drugs, or we believe you have been involved in any drug related action/offence, you may be subject to disciplinary action and, dependant on the circumstances this may lead to your dismissal.’

There have been no concerns raised in regards to the above; therefore it’s been difficult to take any further action. Our work environment involves the care of vulnerable adults; therefore there is a heightened degree of concern from colleagues.

How do you know he is an alcoholic?

There are concerns that the person 'smells' of alcohol at work, however this doesn’t necessarily indicate that they are an alcoholic. I am looking for advice specific to the situation but also in a broader context and how best to manage alcoholism in the workplace. There clearly needs to be some policy development in this area as we have very little guidance in place at present.

Hi David - you've 'replied to' me so I wondered if you were responding to me or the question in general?

If to me, I've made no assumption that this person is an alcoholic.

Mark

Hi Melanie, if you can please do a quick search for historic threads on this topic as it does crop up from time to time. What David P alludes to - and I do agree with him - what is the evidence to support that this individual is an alcoholic? Sometimes this smell can also be an indicator of something else which is not alcohol-related so please do have a dig for historic discussions as well. :-)

Hi Clare,
There are concerns that the person 'smells' of alcohol at work, however this doesn’t necessarily indicate that they are an alcoholic. This is however a recurrent an persist concern raised by colleagues. I am looking for advice specific to the situation but also in a broader context and how best to manage alcoholism in the workplace. Thank you for the advice I will take a look at other threads.

Sorry Mark, My reply was of course directed to the OP, Melanie.

Then if you don't know whether they are an alcoholic, I think I'd treat it just the sameway you may deal with any other suspected drugs usage.

If someone comes into work smelling of alcohol, then they'll have it in their bloodstream, which may mean their ability to carry out their work may be impaired.

Do they drive?
Does their work require precise calculations, skill and so on?
Might they be a risk to others?
Is the smell actually alcohol?

I'd really suggest having a private word and seeing what they say and take it from there. If you have further concerns you could always refer them to an OHP provider to ascertain more info. But so far.........

Just to observe that this thread seems to illustrate well the concept of 'reasonable belief' and its criticality / applicability.

Your policy, Melanie I think sounds about right, if possibly a little vague. Smelling strongly of alcohol in a customer or even client - facing role is potentially involving performance at work and requires full and proper and fair and sensitive further investigation. More than that, one cannot have any reasonable belief about, in the circumstances - but seem to be back where I first began, so will shut up now....