An integrative literature review exploring the impact of alcohol workplace policies
Open accessAbstract
Purpose: Alcohol workplace policies (AWPs) can help organizations to manage and support employees with alcohol-related problems. Over the last two decades, there has been a slow but steady rise of research on AWPs with some indication that these can contribute to reducing employee excessive consumption. However, there does not appear to be any empirical literature reviews to consolidate and evaluate what this body of evidence says regarding the impact of these policies. The following review seeks to address this gap. Design/methodology/approach: Five electronic databases were searched for papers published between January 1996 and January 2020. To capture additional relevant papers (including those from non-peer reviewed sources), the search was extended to Google Scholar, professional and human resource management websites, trade publications and the website of one United Kingdom (UK)-based alcohol charity. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to systematically screen the paper titles, abstracts and full-text records. 14 papers were deemed eligible and therefore included in the integrative review. After extracting data, all 14 papers were appraised for quality and then analysed using the narrative synthesis guide by Popay et al. (2006). Findings: Five themes were identified, namely, Associations between Policy and Consumption Levels/Patterns, Deterrence, Policy and Programme Type, Knowledge and Understanding and Enforcement and Discipline. These themes encapsulated what the included papers concluded about the impact and associated benefits or challenges of AWPs. Research limitations/implications: This review identifies that despite the benefits of AWPs, up to 40% of workplaces do not have these policies in place. Future research needs to explicitly explore the reasons for this. Practical implications: This review highlights that AWPs can benefit employees and workplaces. Therefore, organizations are encouraged to develop and implement AWPs to support health improvement and prevention of alcohol problems in the workplace. Originality/value: This review provides a current synthesis of literature published over the last two decades regarding the impact of AWPs on employees and workplaces.
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Superficial lesions affecting the skin and those affecting higher and lower extremities, and the chest were reported, reflecting the nature of the physical labor done in the construction sector.
“As for the affected body parts, superficial lesions affecting the skin and those affecting higher and lower extremities, and the chest were reported reflecting the nature of the physical labor done in the construction sector (Di Domenico et al. 2022; Šoštarič et al. 2021; Sherratt et al. 2020).”
From Impact of risk mitigation strategies on non-fatal injuries in the construction sector in qatar: a retrospective analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Sherratt et al. 2020
The Strengths and Limitations passages discuss occupational injury incidence in construction and the effects of workplace alcohol and drug policies, but do not identify injured body parts or lesion types. Searches for superficial lesions, skin, extremities, and chest found no passage addressing the claimed injury pattern. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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Research works printed but not linked: 18
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- Baggott, R. (2011) Public health policy and practice, 2 nd Edition. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
- Bush, D.M. and Lipari, R.N. (2014) Workplace Policies and Programs Concerning Alcohol and Drug Use. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; Rockville. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384657/ [Accessed 21 February 2018]
- Cheng, W.J. and Cheng, Y. (2016) Alcohol drinking behaviours and alcohol management policies under outsourcing work conditions: A qualitative study of construction workers in Taiwan. International Journal of Drug Policy, 43-47.
- Eriksson, M., Olsson, B. and Osberg, J. (2004) Alcohol Prevention in the Swedish Workplace-Who Cares?. Contemporary Drug Problems, 31(2), 263-285, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009145090403100205. · DOI
- Elling, D.L., Wennberg, P., Almquist, Y.B., and Sundqvist, K., (2020) Workplace alcohol prevention: are managers' individual characteristics associated with organisational alcohol policy knowledge and inclination to initiate early alcohol interventions? International Journal of Workplace Health Management. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-09-2019-0118 · DOI
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- Moher, D., Liberati, A., Altman, D.G., Tetzlaff, J. and the PRISMA Group (2009) Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement, PLoS Medicine, 6(6), e1000097. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed1000097. · DOI
- Moore, R.S., Ames, G.M., Cunradi, C.B. and Duke, M.R. (2012) Alcohol Policy Comprehension, Compliance, and Consequences Among Young Adult Restaurant Workers. Journal of Workplace Behavioural Health, 27(3), 181-195
- Paton, N. (2012). Lack of workplace alcohol policies has detrimental effect on economy. Occupational Health, 64(3), 7.
- Pidd, K., Boeckmann, R. and Morris, M. (2006) 'Adolescents in transition: The role of workplace alcohol and other drug policies as a prevention strategy'. Drugs Education Prevention and Policy, 13(4), 353-365,
- Pidd, K., Kostadinov, V. and Roche, A. (2016) 'Do workplace policies work? An examination of the relationship between alcohol and other drug policies and workers' substance use'. International Journal of Drug Policy, 28, 48-54
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- Pidd, K., Roche, A., Cameron, J., Lee, N., Jenner, L. and Duraisingam, V. (2018) 'Workplace alcohol harm reduction intervention in Australia: Cluster non-randomised controlled trial', Drug and Alcohol Review, 37(4), 502-513.
- Rehm, J., Mathers, C., Popova, S., Thavorncharoensap, M., Teerawattananon, Y. and Patra, J. (2009) 'Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost attributable to alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders', Lancet, 373(9682), 2223.
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Soubra, L., Al-Mohannadi, A., Berzan, Y., Consunji, R., El‑Menyar, A., Al‑Thani, H., Al-Marri, M. A., & Al-Hajri, H. S. (2025) · International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health · doi:10.1007/s00420-025-02126-x · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Alfred, L., Limmer, M., & Cartwright, S.
- Affiliations
- Lancaster University (GB)
- Venue
- International Journal of Workplace Health Management
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2020-12-04
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 87-110
- ISSN
- 1753-8351 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3108530464
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- eprints.lancs.ac.uk
- Locations
- International Journal of Workplace Health Management (publishedVersion)
- City Research Online (City University London) (acceptedVersion)
- Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Safety in Workplaces
- Keywords
- alcohol-related problems, deterrence, workplace health promotion
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