It is not only during the drinks that alcohol flows freely. Corporate culture or reaction to stress, certain addictions are deeply linked to work. Alcohol is one of them.
A little drink here, a cigarette there… Addictive behavior in the workplace can seem harmless. But they are problematic when they respond to a corporate culture or represent a reaction to tensions in the workplace. According to a BVA survey commissioned by the Interministerial Mission for the Fight against Drugs and Addictive Behaviors (Mildeca), 91% of managers declare that their employees consume at least one psychoactive product. Almost as many fear the repercussions of such behavior (85%).
On the occasion of the National Day for the Prevention of Addictive Behavior in the Workplace, the French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) carried out a review of the literature on the consumption of psychoactive substances at work. And it reveals strong socio-professional disparities.
More ecstasy among employees
Overall, and not surprisingly, job seekers consume more psychoactive substances than active ones. Only daily alcohol consumption is comparable in the two groups – with 6.4% and 7.3% drinkers, respectively. The OFDT notes, however, that the curves for psychotropic drugs are closer together. The rise is clear among the active, “which could testify to an increase in tensions in the world of work in a context of crisis. “
But even within the group of workers, a real gulf separates the different socio-professional classes. Among men, ecstasy is much more consumed by employees (2.4%), tobacco by workers (44.6%). Among women, artisans favor psychotropic drugs (30%), workers alcohol – with 12.5% significant occasional alcoholizations in the month. The fact remains that three sectors are systematically at the top, whatever the substance: construction, the arts sector (shows, recreational services included) and that of accommodation and food services. And as if to stick to the myth of Dr House, the health sector seems relatively spared… except for psychotropic drugs or drugs containing opiates.
Corporate culture
The most worrying point of this review of the literature is the results of consumption during the day. According to the 2010 Health Barometer, 18.9% of men and 10.3% of women have consumed alcohol during their work time outside of the traditional “jars”. Those who do it at least once a week are 3.5%.
Working conditions do influence the consumption of psychoactive substances. In 2010, the number of cigarettes increased after a crisis at work for a third of smokers surveyed. The same goes for one in ten cannabis or alcohol users. The culture of the company is also an aggravating factor. A study conducted among apprentices in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region revealed that 8% of young people are offered alcohol at least once a month. A “social” alcohol that it is then difficult to refuse since it is a factor of integration.
The means of prevention are currently limited. But Danièle Jourdain-Menninger, president of Mildeca, intends to change things. By the end of 2015, she wants the 6,000 occupational physicians to be able to train in techniques for the early identification of addictive behavior. The objective: to get out of the denial and the taboo which, very often, prevent any support.
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