Growing number of employees turn to alcohol to manage work pressures, research reveals

A growing number of UK employees are turning to alcohol to manage the pressures of work, according to a recent Sky News report.

Nearly two-thirds of workers admitted to using alcohol as a coping mechanism for work-related stress.

This trend coincides with a 41% increase in reported workplace stress and a 20% rise in signs of burnout, sparking renewed conversations about the role alcohol plays in corporate culture.

The findings have prompted some organisations and wellbeing advocates to question whether drinking has become an embedded – if unintended – feature of how employees bond, unwind, or simply make it through the week.

While alcohol has long been a staple of many workplace social traditions – from Friday drinks to celebratory toasts- there are growing concerns that this culture may be contributing to worsening mental health, rather than alleviating it.

According to workplace wellness provider Instant Offices, it’s time to reimagine how organisations support connection and stress relief – without making alcohol the focal point.

A spokesperson from Instant Offices notes: “Normalising alcohol in the workplace can worsen stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges.

“It can also exclude non-drinkers for personal, cultural, religious or recovery reasons, and create subtle pressure to drink to ‘fit in.’”