Worksite barriers to the effective management of alcohol problems

The purpose of this analysis is to describe barriers to workplace interventions in cases of alcohol abuse. A survey of 7255 supervisors in 114 worksites across seven major corporations was completed (79% responded). Information about barriers to intervention was elicited by 12 questions. Cluster analysis revealed three analytically independent classes of barriers--Organizational, Interpersonal, and Individual. Most managers reported encountering some barriers to intervention: the extent of barriers perceived was related to characteristics of the worksite, job, and/or the environment. Barriers were greatest for female managers, managers in larger worksites, and the first-line supervisors. Barriers were also related to the form (formal vs informal) of intervention a manager was willing to make. Intervention strategies must take into account differences between company worksites and job levels, and not assume that policies are equally effective throughout the corporation.