Work-related outcomes of the constructive-confrontation strategy in a job-based alcoholism program

Most job-based alcoholism policies and programs incorporate a strategy of constructive confrontation. Data from two national samples of over 600 managers in a large corporation were collected to assess the effectiveness of this strategy with both problem drinkers and other problem employees. Results showed that supervisors of problem drinkers took more actions than did supervisors of employees with other problems. Work performance of problem-drinking employees improved more than that of other problem employees. Oral discussions containing both constructive and confrontational topics were positively associated with employees accepting help and with better work performance following intervention for both samples of employees. However, more severe forms of discipline--written warnings, suspensions or discharges--were negatively associated with work performance following intervention in both samples. The results suggest that (1) the strategy is most effective when repeated discussions balance both constructive and confrontational elements, and (2) the presence of the alcoholism policy encouraged supervisors to take more actions with problem drinkers, legitimated those actions and made the threat of discipline more credible.