A new survey reveals that one in 10 employees in East Anglia say they have gone to work still feeling drunk after a drunken night out.

According to the new research from Willis Towers Watson (WTW), the vast majority (71 per cent) of these workers said admitted they also driven to work on these occasions.

Furthermore, more than one in 10 also confessed to taking a sick day in the past 12 months due to a hangover – with more than a third admitting to bosses that a hangover was the reason for their absence.

“These findings suggest that far too many people in East Anglia are putting their safety and well being, and potentially the safety of others, at risk,” said Mike Blake from WTW.

“The human body is only capable of processing, on average, one unit of alcohol per hour. Binge drinking can mean that alcohol remains in the bloodstream many hours later. Those drinking heavily on nights out can consequently be still feeling the effects of their alcohol consumption the next day.

“With Christmas just around the corner and party season starting, the likelihood of workers coming into work still feeling drunk increases. Companies should be looking at what they can do to support workers and educate them on the dangers of excessive drinking on work nights.

“Sensitive advice and guidance on attitudes towards alcohol and sensible drinking, ranging from workshops to intranet resources, for example, can go a long way in helping to foster a responsible workforce culture.”

Just nine per cent of workers in the region said their employer currently provides staff with any health advice on alcohol consumption. Furthermore, more than one in 10 of East Anglia workers said their employer contributed to unhealthy levels of drinking among staff, such as pressuring workers to drink on staff nights out, paying for alcohol on nights out, or encouraging a work hard, play hard culture.

“Alcohol can be used by some businesses to help them promote a laid-back, trendy culture, while for others it is used as a staff reward, with some even hosting on-site bars,” said Blake. “But there can be other, less risky, ways for them to achieve these objectives.

“In addition to the detrimental effect on physical health and wellbeing, frequent and excessive alcohol consumption can also negatively impact the long-term mental health of workers. In some cases, it is used as a crutch to mask deeper psychological problems.”