Although the Christmas and New Year season is often seen as the key time for excesses and over drinking, the real hangover effect is felt by businesses throughout the year. Each day over 140,000 people go into work with a hangover with a cumulative impact of £6.4bn cost to the UK economy. Following unprecedented success in US Military, a new approach to workplace wellbeing launches this week in the UK which may well offer a real breakthrough.
With alcohol misuse estimated to cost UK business £48k every minute its arrival is timely. But unlike other schemes that often penalise and cause mistrust amongst employees, this programme is designed to create positive sustainable changes in group behaviour across the whole organisation.
Combining leading science innovations and clever design, BreathScan provides simple, precise, low-cost alcohol screening and the thinking, programmes and products to encourage broader, positive changes in attitudes to responsible alcohol consumption. The company already works with Governments and a variety of businesses across the world.
The FIA (Fitness Industry Association) has welcomed the UK launch of the BreathScan programme as an important new way to trigger changes to healthier lifestyles. The FIA has joined up with fitness equipment manufacturer Johnson Health Tech UK Ltd to help pilot the scheme.
David Stalker, CEO, FIA, explains:
“Alcohol misuse is a corrosive on good health in the UK. An approach that challenges the drinking culture may well have much wider positive benefits to general wellbeing. That’s why we are supportive of the BreathScan programme and we are embracing this pilot with Johnson Health Tech.”
MD of Johnson Health Tech Jon Johnston comments:
“Alcohol is so widely and readily available now, it’s become important for people to gain a better understanding of when and how much alcohol can be safely consumed without causing a risk to themselves or others.
“Of course this is obvious, but we’re certainly not on a mission to promote abstinence, we are genuinely committed to encouraging positive long term change. Whilst alcohol isn’t a major issue within our own business, as an employer we have a duty of care towards our staff. As a leader in the health and wellbeing sector, we also want to help and encourage the wider population to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Appropriate consumption is key to both aspects.”
In total, some 10 million Brits drink more than the recommended weekly guidelines. Despite over 77% of employers identifying alcohol as a major threat to employee wellbeing; the Chartered Institute of Personnel found over 40% of employers don’t have alcohol policies and most, (84%), don’t run health awareness programmes for their staff.
Kevin Wright, MD of BreathScan International says:
“No business knowingly leaves themselves open to risk, but in reality, many are risking productivity, performance and cost efficiency – not just because of the headline effects of alcohol abuse, but also because of the more pervasive impacts, like fatigue or hangovers. Consequently increased accidents, mistakes, poor team morale and absenteeism have a devastating impact on both workplace and workforce. Add the current economic climate and measures are demanded that will help employers protect their business and the people that work in it.”
Tackling the root causes of the issue is at the very heart of the BreathScan intervention. Evolving from harm reduction strategies that have already been widely successful with US Military around the world, they have developed a practical change solution based on the emotions and psychology of why we drink. Designed using a unique confluence of workplace environment, individual responsibility and cultural influences, the tailored programme delivers practical results which may include increased motivation, improved productivity and real savings, both long and short term.
Kevin Wright continues:
“BreathScan has taken a fresh approach to the problem of alcohol in the workplace and developed a simple but effective means to positively encourage real, measurable change in peoples relationship with drink.
Businesses can quickly check if they face possible issues with drinking in their organisation by using the Alcohol Measure at BreathScan’s website. The one-minute test can be found at http://breathscan.com/alcohol measure
Twitter release: #BreathScan tackles UK #workplacedrinking culture with new #alcoholawareness programme http://www.breathscan.com/ @breathscan_int
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For more information, please visit the BreathScan website http://www.breathscan.com or contact:
Dominic Shales
020 7404 6691 or dshales@paratuscommunications.com
Or
Sophie Goodwin
020 7404 2907 or sgoodwin@paratuscommunications.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
BreathScan International helps businesses manage issues with alcohol in the workplace. It provides an alcohol awareness programme, a fresh approach to achieving a healthy work culture and a more productive business.
While two-thirds of employers experience problems such as underperformance, accidents and absenteeism from staff drinking, the BreathScan programme is relevant for any business looking to adopt a more progressive approach to staff well-being. By understanding how businesses should run and the psychology of why people drink, BreathScan tailors its approach to behavioural change based on goals people are keen to achieve.
Latest figures from North East England highlight the scale of the alcohol problems facing the country. Hospital admissions for alcoholic liver disease among people in their early-30s in north-east England have increased by more than 400% over eight years. These compare with the national rise of 61% and are described by local liver specialists as an “epidemic”.
The programme is used by businesses and government agencies around the world, such as The US Army, to encourage broader, positive changes in attitudes to responsible alcohol consumption, while pinpointing and solving business problems, improving staff morale, productivity, compliance and reducing absenteeism.
BreathScan uses a disposable single-use Breath Alcohol Detector, which when combined with the Alcohol Awareness programme, provides simple precise, low-cost alcohol screening.
The BreathScan website is: http://www.breathscan.com
The FIA (Fitness Industry Association) is the trade body which represents every reputable organisation in the health and activity industry. They currently represent over 2800 operators in the public and private sectors, as well as 250 supplier organisations. The FIA’s vision is to get more people | more active | more often and is actively involved in helping the Government deliver its public health strategy, through the Responsibility Deal Physical Activity Network Chaired by the FIA Chairman, Fred Turok.
Johnson Health Tech specialises in the design, production and marketing of top of the line commercial and home fitness equipment. Operating in more than 60 companies, their management philosophy has been based on health, value and sharing.
