Who initiates and organises situations for work-related alcohol use? The WIRUS culture study

Aims: Alcohol is one of the leading causes of ill health and premature death in the world. Several studies indicate that working life might influence employees’ alcohol consumption and drinking patterns. The aim of this study was to explore work-related drinking situations, with a special focus on answering who initiates and organises these situations. Methods: Data were collected through semi-structured group interviews in six Norwegian companies from the private (n=4) and public sectors (n=2), employing a total of 3850 employees. The informants (n=43) were representatives from management and local unions, safety officers, advisers from the social insurance office and human-resource personnel, health, safety and environment personnel, and members from the occupational environment committee. Both qualitative and quantitative content analyses were applied in the analyses of the material. Results: Three different initiators and organisers were discovered: the employer, employees and external organisers. Ext...