Employees' health could be in danger because of a workplace drinking culture, according to a new study.
Aviva's Health of the Workplace report found that over half of business leaders said that work-organised socialising involved drinking, with just one in five taking time to run team building days and 13 per cent arranging sporting events as an alternative form of activity.
Furthermore, while just seven per cent of bosses would discourage drinking at these events, over a quarter said that they would be unsympathetic if a member of staff phoned in sick the next day, which might interest public liability insurance holders.
Dr Doug Wright, principal clinical consultant at Aviva UK Health, said: "The study suggests that while employers are attempting to make the lives of their employees more fun, their over reliance on alcohol is perhaps misguided."
According to NHS guidance, drinking too much alcohol can result in high blood pressure, mouth and throat cancer and a risk of heart attacks.