Alcohol in business worries council

Press, 24 December 1985, Page 8

Alcohol in business worries council

PA Wellington Alcohol is used extensively in business to help celebrate deals, provide hospitality for clients and reward employees, according to a study. The findings are no surprise to the Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council, but its director, Mr Keith Evans, says they confirm the widespread use of alcohol in businesses. He said it was time this was seriously questioned. The study, funded by the council and conducted by the University of Otago’s business development centre, found that alcohol played an important role in business with both clients and employees. All the businesses studied used alcohol, even though some did so reluctantly. Some managers said alcohol should be divorced from work, but that it is an accepted fact Managers said alcohol was used to boost staff morale, help relationships with clients and employees, to reward performance and entertain clients. Alcohol was deeply en-

trenched into the way of doing business in New Zealand, but this was a tradition that must be challenged, Mr Evans saidr- A “It is particularly appropriate that this study should come out just prior to Christmas, when alcohol is flowing freely in many businesses. Alcohol is fine in its place, but its proper place is not in the workplace,” he said.

Mr Evans said a previous study showed that managers have a high risk of alcohol problems — and occasions with high availability of alcohol in the workplace would increase the risk to all employees. / More than three-quarters of the managers in this study had encountered problem drinkers in the workplace.

The council was pleased to see most managers in the study thought there was a trend in business towards a greater range of nonalcoholic drinks available at staff functions.

Less positive was the finding that only a quarter of the businesses studied had a written policy regulating the use; of alcohol at

work, Mr Evans said. “It is important that businesses have a clear, consistbent policy on alcohol that takes into account both productivity and the over-all health of the workplace, from the shop floor to the boardroom,” he said.