IT workers drinking work woes away

Beer

IT workers drink heavily because of stress and a boozy office culture, according to a new survey.

IT pros ranked second after journalists as the heaviest drinkers where that leaves IT journalists is a matter of some concern to us with an average of 34 units a week, which works out to about 17 pints downed a week.

According to the Department of Health survey, 29 per cent of IT workers said they headed to the pub so often because it was part of their office drinking culture, while half of all respondents blamed stress for their boozing behaviour.

While it may feel unavoidable, one in 10 said drinking had hurt their work.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of charity the Drinkaware Trust, said: "After a hectic day at work it's tempting to unwind with a few drinks but even a couple of large glasses of wine drunk regularly can lead to further stress and serious health conditions including liver disease and depression."

"It's crucial that people know how alcohol affects them and can make educated decisions about how much they're drinking," he added in a statement.

The most sober professions were teachers and members of the transport industry.