Organizational determinants of managerial alcohol preventive actions among Swedish managers

Background

Workplaces are attractive arenas for preventive interventions among the working population. Managers are key actors but there is a knowledge gap concerning how conditions at work support managers’ alcohol preventive actions (MAPA).

Aim

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the association between organizational determinants and managers’ alcohol preventive actions.

Methods

A websurvey was developed and sent to 9 072 managers in Sweden and 65% (5 868) responded. A factor analysis was performed grouping organizational items into four factors (alcohol preventive organizational structure and support functions, alcohol culture, employee climate). A cluster analysis grouped these factors into two clusters: promotive and neutral.

Results

Alcohol culture and employee climate did not differ between the two clusters while alcohol preventive structures and support functions did. Promotive organizations were more common in female-dominated sectors while neutral organizations were more common in the IT-sector and in smaller companies with 1-9 employees. The probability of MAPA (arranged alcohol lectures, informed about the alcohol policy, communicated alcohol principles at social events) was estimated in logistic regressions. Managers in promotive organizations reported all three types of MAPA to a higher extent than those in neutral.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study is one of few studies on organizational determinants and alcohol prevention. It showed that MAPA was more often reported by managers in organizations with alcohol preventive structures and support functions reported. Future studies are needed to better sort out the causal directions.

Key messages

• Swedish managers in promotive organizations with alcohol preventive structures and support functions more often reported managerial alcohol preventive actions.

• Female dominated organizations were more often promotive while neutral organizations were more common in the IT-sector and small companies (1-9 co-workers).