Bristol firms are being encouraged by the city council’s public health team to help staff stay off the booze this month and support Alcohol Concern’s annual Dry January campaign.
Support on offer for businesses from the public health team includes informative lunchtime talks as well as training to support their staff. 
Health experts know that taking part in Dry January is good for the liver – as well as the bank balance and waistline.
People who try it also often report getting a better night’s sleep. Evidence shows that taking part could have long lasting positive effects, with some people still drinking less six months on.
This year’s challenge coincides with Bristol’s Big Drink Debate, which is a survey of attitudes to alcohol in the city. More than 1,000 people have already responded. Go to https://www.bristol.gov.uk/social-care-health/bristol-s-big-drink-debate to make a comment.
Cabinet member for city health and wellbeing, Cllr Fi Hance, said: “With a new year often comes new resolutions, and for some of us that includes cutting down on the booze for Dry January.
“This year we’re supporting businesses to get involved so that staff can feel the benefits of cutting down on alcohol for a month. The campaign lends itself well to team challenges and employees can support one another and compare progress. It’s great to see Dry January becoming an annual fixture in the health calendar.”
Research shows that up to 17m working days are lost each year due to alcohol-related sickness, which costs employers up for £1.7bn a year in sick days. The total annual cost to the economy is estimated to be £7.3bn. In Bristol alone, that could equate to around £60m per year,
One of the businesses encouraging staff to take part in Dry January this year is Icon Films, the natural history, documentary and factual programme-maker based on College Green.
Operations manager Tracy Patfield said: “Here at Icon Films, health and wellbeing is really important to us. With tight schedules, strict deadlines and multiple demands – we work hard to support staff in being happy and healthy whilst they work with us.
“As part of our ongoing wellbeing programme, January is a good time to think and revaluate healthy living, and as part of that we invited Bristol City Council’s public health team to talk to us about alcohol.
“The talk was great and gave us a good balance of information, including the latest news and changes and interesting facts and figures. It’s important that staff feel informed but aren’t patronised and I would recommend it to other businesses.”
There are some simple ways for businesses to get involved such as printing off resources for their staff from http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/dry-january-workplace.
