Living & Working in Great Places

Alcohol abuse in the seasonal world?

So along with all the amazing things about seasonal work, there are some bad ones too - like the rampant alcohol abuse in the industry - not just partying (which is also prevalent), but abuse of alcohol. I, myself, fell subject to it on my first seasonal job, and I've seen it take down countless others - drinking at work, getting fired because of it, etc. What can be done about this? What role do employers play? What role do co-workers play? At our current location, we have drug and alcohol testing, but people who fail the tests more often than not get a slap on the wrist instead of fired. So... what can be done? What should be done?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael McDaniel on April 8, 2008 at 1:04pm: i managed Xanterra's EDR in Colorado last summer...you are absolutely right. If the food taste terrible, or the people working are not friendly...it is mine and my employees fault. If you hear 'well the company said', that's probably a lie.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by donald todd jr on April 8, 2008 at 3:45pm: i know there is a problem they schould enfose those peple to go to aa so that they can get help and employers should have get togethers so employees can have a good time; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by will on April 8, 2008 at 6:36pm: hello everybody,first i would likde to say that i have read everybody's reply to this question,and i agree with you all, however,in my time at this kind of work i have noticed the difference between partying and drinking,me personally i don't drink,never have i am one of those people that just doesn't like the taste,had my run at doing drugs and as you all know its not worth it,my point is this,,when you are employed by a company that provides everything to you ie,room and board you have less responsibilitiy,basically all you need to do is show up for work in the morning and have a smile on your face,some of the employers are only concerned with the guests expeirence, knowing that if there is a problem with one employee he/she can be easily replaced with another,also i think that some of the people that do come to these jobs are hiding from their problems,but problems don't have boundaries,as to what an employer can do,
really not much in my opinion,i mean they expect you to act like an adult and conduct yourself accordingly,however i think that most of the people that take these jobs are looking for a way to enjoy their summer as well as make some money,hope i did'nt offend anybody thanks; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bendi on April 8, 2008 at 11:39pm: Alcohol abuse can take you down if you let it. Evieryone has to have their "learning season". I myself exeperienced it at the age of about 36. Drinking at work, I agree, is completely unacceptable. However, what employees do on their own time is none of the employers business. However, if an employee's partying effects their job performance, it becomes the employer's business. Furthermore, if an employee is drinking under age, that is a MAJOR issue. When you overstep work performance and enter into legal issues, you have to draw the line. As far as drug and alchohol testing goes, again, what I do on my time is my business. But if there is an accident on the job and there is a possibility there was drub or alcohol abuse directly related to the acccident, the testing is fine. There is no room in this business for people who come to work intoxicated or high and not ready to perform. Interestingly enough, my husband and I spent a very short season at Big Bend and he tested positive for marijuana which would be okay, but my husband has not smoked marijuana in over 20 years. My husband had been doing seasonal work since 2001 and has been fire for the after effects of alcohol consumption. At the same time, he has seen young kids that were allowed bar tabs that left that fall with some serious monkeys on their back. I believe alcohol is the most dangerous substance there is because of it's availability and acceptibility. For a lot of seasonal workers who come from metropolitan areas, they feel as if there is nothing more to do. I do not believe that there is one answer for the issue, and it is an issue. But, my husband has been to seven seasonal jobs and has seen it everywhere he went. Does anyone out there have a sure answer to the problem...doubt it. It's up to the individual to make the right decision. Remember, prohibition did not work.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by AlaskaBound! on April 9, 2008 at 12:08am: I have to agree with some of the things you said. What I do on my own time is my own business. If I show up to work, ready to work and provide the employer with the best I can offer than they have no right to test me for drugs. I don't do drugs, but I am an adult. And I don't need anyone to tell me how to live my life, or checking me to make sure that I am living up there specifications. The drug testing was always a big topic on the old boards. I have had to take drug tests in order to get a job that I wanted, but I felt it was an invasion of my privacy. But hey you gotta do what you gotta do to get a job right? I guess that is just my liberal views shinning through. But as far as the Alcohol thing goes, I think that a lot of times some people don't know what they are getting themselves into when they take a job way out the woods somewhere far away from any cities or towns. And while it sounds okay at first, they find themselves very bored and dont enjoy it as much as they thought they would after being there for a month or so. And so the drinking just becomes a form of escape from the boredom they are dealing with. Like Erin was saying I too have been at places where people do nothing but go to work, get off and go to the employee pub or sit aorund in the dorm room drinking and smoking the weed. Never even getting out into the wild. I have never understood those types of people, but thats what makes working in this environment so diverse. You have every type of person show up, and some can make it and others can't deal with the isolation or real nature. I mean why come all the way to Yellowstone only to see the inside of a Bar? You could do that anywhere, and personally I don't want them to ruin my time when I decide to go with my pals out for a good time and have to sit around listening to a bunch of drunk kids complain about how bored they are and how "this place sucks" and that there is nothing to do.....But I don't think that there will ever really be an answer to this problem, the best solution I have found is just to separate myself from them and when I hear them talking about how bored they are, I will offer to take them out on a hike or go fishing or something like that. And if that doesn't work, I tell them to go home and stop being such a child and come back when you grow up enough to enjoy the real reason most of us do the seasonal gig.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Erin on April 9, 2008 at 9:28am: Agreed 100%. Well said. I also just want to add, while it's true that what people do on their own time is their own business, that right to privacy ends when their partying at 4 in the morning wakes me up next door. It's hard when we all live and work and play together, ya know? It would be more one's own business if it were like a normal job and we didn't all live together. But I digress...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lea on April 9, 2008 at 2:45am: From my own personal perspective I think having things to do really does help. It seems to me (in my experiences) that the majority of the partying goes on with the just out of highschool/college crowd and that would also be happening on their college campuses as well. So I don't think it's just a problem with the seasonal work crowds - though it does play into it. (I don't mean to imply that it's just a problem with younger people as I have seen older adults also have this issue - I just mean that I've seen it more frequently with the younger crowd. And it is also a problem on college campuses. That's all I meant ... )

Company sponsored activities really can boost morale and give people prospects and I think it does help. Some people have no idea what they're getting into - especially people who have never been away from the big city and don't realize what an adjustment it can be to work at some of these places. So working for a company that plans events and things to do for employees can definitely help. Especially for those employees who have never experienced wilderness before. (Company sponsored hikes for example - or even employee 'clubs' where folks can meet other folks with similar interests like hiking or nature photography or that sort of thing ... ) I think employers who encourage these sorts of activities do a really great service for the seasonal employee.

But at the same time I think it's each individual person's responsibility to take action and find things to do that aren't disruptive. I don't think having a beer after work is a big deal - but when it turns into ten beers each and every night? That's a different thing all together. Things like that mean it's time to ask yourself 'well, if I'm bored, what can I do about it other than getting trashed every night?'

This summer I'm going to be in a really remote location and I've already planned on bringing a bunch of books to read and some arts and crafts supplies so I'll have things to do when I'm not in the mood to go hiking or whatever other outdoorsy things there are to do. Planning ahead for things to do like that would help, I think. Unfortunately not everyone has the foresight to do that.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by akscootr on April 9, 2008 at 2:24pm: "even employee 'clubs' where folks can meet other folks with similar interests like hiking or nature photography or that sort of thing ... )" hmmmm that is an excellent idea. I have never worked in a place that has successfully brought people of a like mind together in a club. Absolutely outstanding idea; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lea on April 9, 2008 at 6:13pm: Yeah - when I was in Yellowstone I wished there was a photography club because I often went out shooting alone and would have loved to have had some friends to share the experience with. I did mention it to someone in the rec center but nothing ever came of it - seems like it would be a good idea to encourage people to do something like that. I probably should have been more proactive and posted stuff places to see if any others were interested.

But I think it could really be successful if it was really promoted and employees knew about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rossman on April 9, 2008 at 6:09pm: Here's my two cents...
The problem of alcohol abuse is most acute in remote areas. Management must recognize and commit to address the issue first. Management sets the stage. Here are a few things that worked for me as Exec Chef for Princess:
- Start with the hiring process. Inform the candidates that drug and alcohol abuse is a real problem and if they have this problem, they will most likely not last the season. Ask the candidate if they can steer clear of drug and alcohol abuse.
- Start the season with a zero tolerance. Kitchen rule #13 was that hangovers and work do not mix. The first person with even a hangover is sent home and written up. Set the stage. It is easier to relax the rules than tighten them.
- Establish a presence in common drinking areas. I went to the bonfires and hung at "the bench" on my off times, frequently with beer or bottle in hand. I learned not to overdo it and by doing so, set an example. It also helped identify those that had a problem.
- Counsel those with an identified problem. Get HR involved if necessary. Don't hope it goes away, because it will only get worse.
- Supply alternate activities. I would nearly always make plans with an employee or cruise through employee housing looking for someone to share recreation with when I was going fishing or hiking or whatnot. Nearly always I would have a taker.
- Terminate any employee with a problem if discipline and counseling do not correct the problem. Even if you are short handed, you will thank yourself and chances are that other, hard-working, employees will thank you, too. No bull.

Bottom line? If you are management, give a shit about the lives of your employees. If that fails, give a shit about the lives of the those that the problem employee affects. And if you don't give a shit, you deserve the drama that goes along with the problem!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kari Quaas on April 10, 2008 at 3:37pm: Hey Ross,

I particularly like your comment that "it is easier to relax the rules than tighten them." It's true and beyond that managers/supervisors must be consistent with their policy enforcement. They cannot be nice to one person and let another slide. It's hard to do, but that's what you sign up for when you step into management.

Overall, great thoughts. My take, for sure, is still that people have to care for themselves and those around them.

Kari; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rossman on April 21, 2008 at 10:03pm: Personally, I could care less what anyone does on their free time. As long as it doesn't bother anyone and they do their job. If I did care, I certainly would be the hypocrite.

My night cook at the winter resort where I work had a party on the last Friday of the season and missed the last Sat & Sun of the season (killer busy) because he had alcohol poisoning (he fessed up and was super sorry). End of season bonus was denied but he came in for cleanup just to get back in good standings for future seasons. This is one kind of drinking I try to avoid. No need to get gestapo about it - just help a brother out in need.; ▶ Reply to This