Using alcohol to help build team spirit and let employees relax is potentially misguided, claims a healthcare professional at Aviva insurance .
Dr Doug Wright, principal chief consultant at the company, made his comments following publication of the latest Aviva Health of the Workplace report, which revealed that 51 per cent of staff social events involve spending time at the pub . He explained that not every employee looks forward to the prospect of going to such a place and it can cause long-term issues.
While it may be a good short-term strategy to help people relax, other ways of improving team spirit must be established to ensure that no one is left out, explained Dr Wright. He added: “While around half of bosses say they enjoy getting to know their team in an informal setting, heading to the pub might not be the best way to do this.”
Aviva health insurance recently found that healthcare conditions appear to have worsened over the past five years, with 57 per cent of GPs surveyed saying they have less time to see patients.