Dealing with drunk and hung-over employees can be a tricky situation for any boss, so how does one deal with this in an effective manner?

It’s Wednesday, the middle of the workweek. You step inside the office at exactly 9 a.m. and you instantly recognize that faint smell of booze. Before you go to your study, you look around the office and immediately spot a drunken guy from sales, trying hard to keep his balance while desperately looking for the power cables of his computer. 

Going to work drunk is one of the rarer types of employee problems, but any manager should know how to deal with such situations.

Going to work drunk or on drugs from last night’s party or an all-night revelry is one of the highest forms of disrespect that an employee can manifest, not just to the company management but also to his fellow workers. Even if he or she was drunk because of an office party or work function, that is no excuse to come to work in a less-than-professional state.

Drunkenness, whether from booze or drugs is one of those employee problems that cannot be ignored by any boss, even if they are the company’s top performers. Any manager should not hesitate to give necessary disciplinary sanctions for the employee, as intoxication at work is an act that should not be tolerated.

Intoxicated at Work

Sanctions for intoxication at work vary from company to company. It all depends on the corporate policies on proper decorum at work that your organization follows. Most companies clearly stipulate rules on alcohol or drug use in their employees’ handbooks.

Some companies strictly prohibit the consumption of alcohol before, during, and after work. They post harsh disciplinary actions such as suspensions and even termination. Other employers are more lenient and only require employees to be sober when they go to the office, to ensure that productivity is not decreased by the said employee problems.

It is best to be strict in enforcing regulations on alcohol or drug intake in the workplace, as it could really pose threats not just to productivity in the office, but also to the other employee’s health and well-being.

Dealing with Intoxicated Employees

While drunkenness at work is generally dealt with strictly, employees who show up with a bad hangover is more of a grey area for human resource experts. For one, managers cannot easily identify such types of employee problems, as hung-over employees can usually perform normally up to a certain point.

When drunkenness and hangovers become frequent employee problems in your office, it is time to reassess your company policy and review your human resource management style, as this is a clear indication that your employees are either lacking motivation for work or have some personal issues the company may or may not be able to help with. Also, consider adding alcohol consumption regulation programs in your list of employee enhancement programs.