SUPPORTING YOUR EMPLOYEES DURING DRY JANUARY
Dry January officially began in 2013 and since then has continued to grow with more than 4 million individuals in the UK taking part in January 2020. It’s no surprise that there are so many health benefits to giving up alcohol both in the short and long-term. According to Drinkaware, when you stop drinking, you can expect:
- An improvement to your mental health
- More energy and productivity
- Reduced risk of diabetes
- Lower cholesterol
- Lower blood pressure
- Better skin
- Weight loss
- Reduced risk of cancer and other alcohol-related diseases
Why run dry January in the workplace?
When an individual gives up alcohol for the month of January it impacts their workplace performance as they have more energy and better concentration. Employers should recognise this benefit and find ways to support the staff members that choose to take part. Or a step further – run a dry January programme within the workplace, promoting staff to take part.
According to research conducted by the University of Sussex, absenteeism and lost productivity from alcohol costs businesses at least £7.3bn each year. The study also found that six months after Dry January more than 70% of people who take on the month with Alcohol Change UK's support are still drinking more healthily. On top of that, they have boosted levels of wellbeing and much more.
Alcohol can also affect the judgement and concentration of employees. It can affect their reaction times and cause low productivity output. It can also affect their fitness to work and can cause increased accidents.
Ways to support your team during dry January
Get talking
Create an open-door policy for employees who want to talk about their drinking or mental health.
Get creative with large posters, fact sheets, or an online alcohol quiz
Create awareness of the consequences of excessive drinking and how it can contribute to poor mental health problems like anxiety and depression. Create a buzz by running educational workshops and organising alcohol-free events.
Ensure management buy-in
This will show employees that the organisation is in it together.
How The Doctors Clinic Group can help
If you are concerned about the alcohol intake of any of your employees, talk to them, offer support and guide them towards getting professional help. Our occupational health company, Maitland Medical, offers drug and alcohol advice, support and testing for any cases of excessive alcohol intake.
Get in touch with our corporate team to learn more about our Occupational Health services including drug and alcohol testing.