Ban on alcohol during internal events (drinks, seminars), non-reimbursement of alcohol on expense accounts beyond the legal threshold of the highway code, testimonials from the association of Alcoholics Anonymous, untimely breathalyzers on high-risk positions… These are the measures taken by Enedis management in the Pays de la Loire region, in 2022, to fight against addictive behavior.
In January 2024, some of these principles were generalized nationally. “Our expense report tracking and validation tool now “detects” alcohol consumption via automatic VAT rate control”explains François Luciani, Pays de la Loire deputy director.
In the same region, the truck manufacturer Scania, already a fan of “zero alcohol”has decided to ban tobacco in its factory in Angers (Maine-et-Loire), in September 2022. “We didn’t want to move too quickly with this public health approach: we weren’t there to tell employees to stop smoking, so we offered support in several stages to worried smokers”explains Frédéric Guibert, head of the health and safety division.
In business, addictive behavior remains at a high level. According to the interministerial mission to combat drugs and addictive behavior (Mildeca), in 2021, among employed workers, 27% of men and 23% of women smoked daily; 20% of men and 8% of women had dangerous alcohol consumption.
Agriculture and building
In physically strenuous jobs – agriculture, construction – or in contact with the public, alcohol remains a tool for conviviality and a means of holding on. “Whether they are workers or local supervisors, all new recruits are encouraged to consume alcohol”writes sociologist Marie Ngo Nguene in her contribution to the work Working on construction sites (dir. Gwenaële Rot, Hermann, 2023), focusing on the construction sector. Cocaine is particularly widespread in the hotel and restaurant industry, or among fishermen.
What can the company do in the face of this behavior which a priori concerns private life? First of all, understand that there is a link between work organization and addictions: “Addiction is the meeting between a product, an individual and an environmentsummarizes Valérie Saintoyant, Mildeca delegate. The professional environment can encourage risky consumption. » Stress, psychosocial risks, atypical hours, isolated work and teleworking are all aggravating factors.
You have 59.48% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.