Alcohol Awareness Week

Learn how employers can use Alcohol Awareness Week as an opportunity talk about the harms of drinking alcohol with employees and find useful resources to use.

The value of supporting Alcohol Awareness Week at work

Alcohol awareness week is the UK’s chance to talk about alcohol harms.

Encouraging open conversations about harm from alcohol benefits both employees and employers. A workplace that supports employees can:

• Create a culture of openness and understanding
• Strengthen workplace relationships and teamwork
• Ensure employees feel valued and supported
• Reduce alcohol absences and burnout
• Improve productivity and reduce safety risks

Get your workplace involved in Alcohol Awareness Week

As an employer you can create an understanding culture where employees feel comfortable talking about alcohol and its harms.

Here are some simple yet impactful steps you can take to support Alcohol awareness week:

Lead with action

Encourage leadership teams and managers to speak openly about alcohol and promote a culture of support.

Encourage conversations

Use posters, emails, intranet updates, and team meetings to raise awareness.

Set up “Tea & Talk” breaks for open discussions about alcohol and other related policies. You can use conversation starters with prompts.

Create safe spaces

Set up ways for employees to talk in confidence. This could include:

• Informal peer support groups
• Wellbeing check-ins
• Dedicated quiet areas

You should allow employees to engage privately via suggestion boxes or online forums.

Provide resources

Share details of resources your employees can access for support. This could include:

• Alcohol helplines
• Counselling services
• Wellbeing apps
• Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
• Internal wellbeing initiatives

Alcohol awareness at work throughout the year

There are ways you can promote alcohol awareness at work throughout the year. Here are some things you can do:

Encourage healthy choices

Promoting healthy habits can support employees in making better lifestyle choices. This could include responsible drinking, non-smoking policies, regular exercise, and balanced eating.

Educate managers and employees

Training employees to understand alcohol harms helps create awareness and support.

Managers should receive extra training to spot the signs and respond appropriately, ensuring employees get the help they need.

Follow legal and ethical guidelines

Ensuring workplace policies comply with the law helps protect employees and reduces the risk of legal action or penalties for lack of support.

You can find out more on our addictive behaviours topic page.

Find out more

To find out how your workplace can get involved in Alcohol Awareness Week and get resources you can use, visit the Alcohol change UK website.

To get updates about health and wellbeing campaigns throughout the year, sign up to our newsletter.

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