Growth and transformation in workplace alcoholism programming.

The origins of contemporary workplace programs to provide constructive assistance to employees with alcohol problems are described. The transformation from industrial alcoholism programming to employee assistance programming is delineated in terms of a seven-component "core technology." The high degree of reported success of these programs is described with general findings from a survey of 480 private-company sites. Increasing rates of self-referral for assistance with alcohol problems are described in terms of factors facilitating such referrals. Basic research knowledge is summarized, together with a projection of new studies considered to be critical for maximizing the effectiveness of alcoholism intervention as it relates to workplace programs. Throughout the chapter the large-scale impact of workplace programming is emphasized, with an urgency for greater attention to be paid to these activities by the alcohol problem research community.