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  • Dragosz, Steven W.
     
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  • Alcoholism and employment
     
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  • Industrial relations
     
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  • Personnel management
     
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  • MSEM Thesis.
     
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    Management responses to alcohol problems in the workplace / by Steven W. Dragosz.
    by Dragosz, Steven W.
    Subjects
  • Alcoholism and employment
  •  
  • Industrial relations
  •  
  • Personnel management
  •  
  • MSEM Thesis.
  • Description: 
    vii, 189 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.
    Contents: 
    Committee members: Dr. Bruce Thompson, Noreen Lephardt.
    Introduction to the study -- Alcohol: effects of abuse -- Management approaches/solutions -- Rehabilitative versus punitive/indifference approach: costs to the company -- Investigative questionnaire results -- Practical guide for managers to assess workplace risk.
    In 1985 it was estimated that the total costs of alcohol abuse in the United States, using a cost-of-illness approach, was $70.3 billion and that this figure would rise to $85.8 billion by 1988 when adjusted for inflation and demographic changes. Another study estimated $89.5 billion in 1980, projected to $116.7 billion for 1983. Although there is a wide discrepancy between estimates because of the use of different estimation methods and data sources employed, the figures still indicated the significantly increasing cost of alcohol abuse and the widespread magnitude of the problem.
    The situation has not improved in the past decade. According to a study recently released by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse(CASA), substance abuse and addiciton in 1995 in the United States will account for 77.6 billion dollars of federal entitlement payments. These include Social Security Disability Insurance, Verterans Health, Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal entitlement programs and welfare. It is also estimated that one worker in seven is or is related to someone with a drug or alcohol problem. This cost can be assessed in terms of lower productivity, greater absenteeism, higher benefits costs, workplace stress, increased accidents and worker's compensation claims. In addition, the potential liability exposure to an employer resulting from a substance abusing employee can result in significantly large punitive damage fines.
    A recent study has noted that alcohol abuse by employees in the workplace has developed into an area of major concern for employers, especially in the past decade. Abuse of alcohol in the workplace has created significant problems for employers. It has also posed major safety and health risks to employees. According to the study, the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicated that controlled substance abuse may cost inductry $100 billion annually in lost productivity caused by absenteeism, accidents and decreased productivity. Tuggle concluded that, "In light of...staggering statistics, it is hardly surprising that employers of al sizes and in all industries are recognizing that employee substance abuse--both on-duty and off-duty-- is detrimental to their business."
    Workplace problems associated with alcohol use, both on and off the job, include absenteeism, higher employee health costs, poor productivity, and accidents. Managers as custodians of the workplace, are faced with the dilemma of how to address employees so afflicted in order to preserve and safeguard the productivity, safety, and effectiveness of the workplace. Managers must also be concerned with the implications of their actions in addressing problems, and must avoid those actions that will result in hard to the affected individuals and the organization. Improper handling of troubled employees may exacerbate the problem and/or result in costly litigation. The present study takes the view that constructive/proactive approaches to workplace alcohol problems are more effective, less costly, and less harmful to the individual, organization, and society at large than purely punitive or avoidance approaches.
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    Walter Schroeder LibraryMaster's ThesesAC805 .D73 1996AvailableAdd Copy to MyList

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