ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore Swedish managers’ and HR-officers’ experiences and perceptions of skills training including a development and implementation of an alcohol policy.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with Swedish managers (n = 44) and HR-officers (n = 9) from nine different organizations whom had received skills training and an organizational policy implementation. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analyses.ResultsIn total, nine themes were identified as: The prevalence of alcohol problems: a wake-up call; a reminder to intervene immediately; an altered view of the responsibility of the employer; initiating conversations about alcohol: a useful toolbox; an imprecise, yet positive, memory; increased awareness of issues related to alcohol culture; I have not heard a word about a new alcohol policy; the alcohol policy: a mere piece of paper; and alcohol problem prevention: hardly a low-hanging fruit. Participants’ experiences of the skills training were positive overall.ConclusionVarious aspects of the skills training were appreciated by managers and HR-officers, including insight of prevalence statistics and employer responsibilities. Participants emphasized the value of repeated skills training occasions for retaining knowledge. Future research may investigate further in what way skills training may affect managers’ willingness to engage in workplace alcohol prevention. Since the implementation of any policy had gone unnoticed to participants, a reason for which could be related to the notion of the existing policy as “good enough” in its current condition, implementation and organizational issues, or a reluctance to address alcohol-related matters unless necessary; future research may focus on investigating in what manner alcohol policies are in fact utilized within organizations.
Purpose An alcohol prevention programme, consisting of the implementation of an organisational alcohol policy and skills development training for managers, was delivered in Swedish workplaces. Previous findings revealed challenges in policy implementation because of the lack of dissemination amongst managers. This study aims to describe perceived dissemination barriers of the organisational alcohol policy by managers. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey (n = 193 managers) was performed to identify common dissemination barriers in the workplace and complementary case illustrations derived from semi-structured interviews (n = 18 managers) were used to understand the dissemination barriers of the organisational alcohol policy. Frequency distributions were presented to describe common perceived barriers. Findings Sixty-five per cent of managers reported that their workplace had not changed their approach to addressing alcohol-related issues compared to their usual practice before programme delivery. Various organisational factors, such as deprioritisation of programme dissemination, lack of communication and inadequate strategies were some of the common barriers perceived by managers. Moreover, managers reported uncertainties regarding any changes concerning the workplace’s approach for addressing alcohol-related issues. Increased efforts in disseminating the organisational alcohol policy can reduce uncertainties among managers. Practical implications A thorough process evaluation to understand processes in programme delivery and implementation is necessary to ensure the uptake of the intervention. Originality/value This study highlighted the complexity of disseminating an alcohol policy in a dynamic setting, such as the workplace, and provided the importance of addressing organisational obstacles.
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