By: Natasha Archary
Senior Employee Relations Specialist, Kagiso Lebethe joins Gugulethu Mfuphi on Kaya Biz to share what actions employers can take if staff show up drunk at work.
Lebethe pointed out that heavy absenteeism due to alcohol or substance abuse problems is the most common problem in the workplace.
Naturally, with a high absenteeism rate, productivity in the workplace drops and this in turn affects revenue generation, targets by the business, and brand reputation in the long run.
Apart from absenteeism, workers showing up drunk at work paints the company in a negative light, showing a lack of professionalism and work ethic.
According to a Forbes study, although light to moderate drinking could reduce the risk of long-term heart disease by lowering stress levels in the brain, alcohol still comes with serious health drawbacks.
If someone has a substance dependency, this can impair their judgement, ability to carry out tasks whilst on duty, and put the company at risk for liability should something happen whilst an employee is under the influence of alcohol in the workplace.
“To bring in some context, one needs to consider that excessive absenteeism from work, injuries, poor performance, and generally substandard levels of productivity, due to substance consumption problems are an actual cost to the company.
Forbes conducted a study where they valued the employee absenteeism in South Africa companies to a loss of around R12 billion per year.
About 15 to 30% of fatal accidents in the workplace occur due to drug and other substance abuse, and 20 to 25% of work accidents involve people who are under the influence of some sort of inebriating substance.”
Kagiso Lebethe – Senior Employee Relations Specialist
According to Lebethe, the law recognizes both the misconduct aspect of reporting to duty whilst under the influence of a narcotic substance or alcohol, and the incapacity to perform.
For example if an employee were to disclose to their employer that they have a substance dependency, there is a certain obligation to the employer to try and assist you to overcome that dependency.
More established corporates may have stricter policies in place against alcohol inebriation or substance abuse in general, but most companies do have employee wellness programmes which can be utilized to assist their staff.
“However, that does not take away the reciprocal obligation by the employee to ensure that they comply, because the fact that you disclosed that you have a substance abuse problem, or a substance dependency problem, does not take away from the expectation that you comply with the law.
If for example, an employee reports for duty under the influence of alcohol, on the first instance, a company will issue you with a warning.
But if you continue to transgress, the company reserves its right to dismiss you, following further disciplinary action.”
Listen to the conversation on Kaya Biz:
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