"Misguided" employers risking workforce health - Aviva

Employers are “misguided” and could be contributing to health problems for their workforce by encouraging workers to bond down the pub, says a new study.

Their well meaning efforts can fail to achieve the goal of improving team moral and also cause unexpected negative side effects, according to the research from Aviva.

Over half of business leaders (57%) questioned in the provider's fourth Health of the Workplace report claim that socialising at work usually involves going to the pub for drinks.

In comparison, 23% of employers run teambuilding days and just over one in ten (13%) participate in sporting pursuits.

Although 45% of business leaders say that there's no obligation to drink alcohol at their social events, just 7% of bosses would actively discourage their employees from doing so.

While employers do little to discourage their staff from drinking alcohol, over a quarter (27%) have no sympathy if their employee calls in sick the next day, and a similar amount (26%) say that they'd be concerned about the impact on their business if they experienced this behaviour, fearing it would encourage other employees to follow suit.

The research also reveals that business leaders are ignoring the potential consequences of excessive drinking on their employees' health.

Less than half (40%) say they would be concerned they had created an unhealthy working environment if any employee called in sick the next day, and 17% of employers even admit that they'd find it amusing as long as it didn't happen too often.

Dr. Doug Wright, principal clinical consultant at Aviva UK Health, raised concerns about the regularity of these pub trips and their potential effects.

"The study suggests that, while employers are attempting to make the lives of their employees more fun, their over reliance on alcohol is perhaps misguided," he says.

"In the short term, this strategy can be a great way to relax and help colleagues let off steam. However, in the longer term, employers need to look for other ways to build team spirit to ensure everyone is involved and that unhealthy habits are not sanctioned in the workplace."

Despite trips to the pub being commonplace, the research indicates that both employers and employees are unconvinced that these events are a positive way to develop healthy working relationships.

• Only 23% of employers think alcohol creates a positive sense of team spirit;
• One in ten (10%) feel obliged to attend socials to keep their staff happy;
• A third (33%) admit that attending socials can be a bit of a drag.

Similarly:

• Over half (52%) of employees aren't particularly enthusiastic about going out with their wider team;
• One in five (21%) openly admit that they don't like socialising with work colleagues;
• Only 5% of employees claim socialising at work had become a substitute for their social life.

Dr. Doug believes employers should look for other ways to provide teambuilding opportunities which will also prove more successful and less damaging to their employees health.

"While around half of bosses say they enjoy getting to know their team in an informal setting, heading to the pub might not be the best way to do this - especially when you consider that many employees don't look forward to these events either," he says.

"With budgets being tight it may be better for employers to allocate this money to initiatives that benefit both their employees and their company.

"Supporting the physical wellbeing of their team through workplace wellness programmes for example, can be equally as effective in engaging staff and building morale and team spirit," he adds.