Abstract
Aim
This article discusses Norwegian employers' and employees' way of dealing with alcohol- and drug use among colleagues. The article outlines steps made in Norwegian companies to prevent alcohol- and drug problems among employees.
Methods
Interviews have been carried out in 50 companies belonging to different business fields. A national survey has been carried out among 890 companies.
Results
About 40% of Norwegian businesses have organized alcohol or drug preventive programs in the workplace. We have found many different versions of programmes, most of them based on a few main models for alcohol- and drug prevention in the workplace. It is first and foremost in the large companies that such programmes are implemented. The prevention programmes are often directed at helping individuals with serious drinking problems, or at the establishment of a workplace program. Our data, however, indicate that most employees stay passive and rarely intervene in relation to emerging alcohol- or drug problems among colleges. The issue of alcohol- and drug use is experienced as a difficult topic to relate adequately by employers as well as employees. Only 9% of Norwegian businesses think that they are actually working towards the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse.
Conclusions
Our data show that several methods for alcohol and drug prevention in the workplace exist, but that they should be practised to a larger degree. The shift to primary prevention directed at the entire workforce seems to have not yet reached companies and employees in Norwegian work life. Changes in direction towards more health promotion, early and primary intervention are suggested.