Signs of Alcoholism in the Workplace

There is a big difference between signs that someone is imbibing at work and signs of alcoholism in a colleague. If someone is drunk or heavily intoxicated, people can typically recognize the signs fairly easily. However, noticing the signs of an employee or colleague with an alcohol addiction can be more challenging as the warning signs are usually more subtle.

Often, happy hours and social events involving alcohol may lead to one or two people drinking too much. However, alcoholism in the workplace can be dangerous. They may think it’s harmless at first, but without going to an alcohol addiction treatment center and getting help, their problems will likely worsen. The individual may be placing themselves, as well as the company and their coworkers in harm’s way whether or not they are aware of it. If you suspect a female coworker or a woman you love has an addiction to alcohol, please reach out to Crossroads Maine today at 877.978.1667.

Recognizing Alcoholism in the Workplace

Each person is different, and some people’s drinking problems will be more noticeable than others. However, if a colleague or employee is exhibiting several signs of alcoholism, it is better to act fast. As the problems worsen or continue, they could wind up costing the company thousands of dollars, if not more.

Potential warning signs of alcoholism at work might include when your coworker:

Regularly drinking at work and having more than one drink
Frequently comes in hungover
Is often tardy or absent altogether
Drinks in the morning or adds alcohol to their morning coffee
Smells like alcohol regularly

Some of these problems are less observable than others, but if you suspect alcoholism, it is often best to voice your concerns.

How to Help an Alcoholic Coworker

If a colleague is addicted to alcohol, approaching the situation may be challenging. You may not know where your responsibilities lie. You do not want to overstep your boundaries, but your company or job may be at stake at the same time. If you notice that your coworker is battling alcoholism, you may want to speak to them privately and calmly. Let them know that you are concerned for them and have noticed that they seem to be having a problem, be sure not to come across as accusatory or judgemental. In many cases, they could use your support.

If you are a boss or manager of one with an alcohol use disorder, you may start to notice a decline in their productivity or work. You may also see the development of some bad habits like tardiness. As their manager, you should follow your company’s human resources policies related to performance and alcohol or substance use. If you let the behaviors go without consequences, you’re enabling their drinking, which could make matters worse.

While you want to do what is best for the company, you also want to do what is best for the employee. Alerting family and getting the coworker into alcohol addiction treatment might be the best thing they can do to help them towards recovery.

One of the first steps in finding help at a women’s alcohol addiction treatment center is verifying insurance. Our team at Crossroads Maine accepts most commercial insurances and you can verify insurance for yourself or a loved one through our secure, online insurance verification form.

Contact Crossroads Maine for More Information

If your coworker is an alcoholic, they will likely try to hide their drinking habits. Additionally, because drinking is so common, it is hard to know when someone crosses the line from heavy drinking to alcoholism. The treatment team at Crossroads Maine is ready to help you identify the signs of alcoholism and offer individualized treatment for the employee. Crossroads’ programs and services include: