Monthly: October 2019

Count Me In recommends unlimited RDO’s for construction workers.

Taking an RDO or Rostered Drink Off definitely has its benefits – and these can be even more significant when you take consecutive RDO’s.

No matter your motivation however, it seems that reducing the frequency and amount of alcohol you drink can help you feel more productive at home and work, save some money or even lose weight.

I am feeling physically and mentally better, and I have gone down a notch in my belt as well. Looking forward to continuing into November.

Here’s what we know about taking a few alcohol free days based on feedback from our RDO Challenge participants.

1. Nearly all participants saved money with over half saying they saved more than $50.

2. Almost 40% said they were more productive.

3. 80% of participants had a conversation about alcohol.

Great initiative, we have had a bit of banter but also have healthy discussion around drinking too.

If you would like to find out how to implement a policy of unlimited RDO’s at your company you can contact us HERE at Count Me In.

During our first ever RDO Challenge 4 out of 5 participants had conversations about alcohol with almost half of them reporting that they had felt pressure to drink during the month long initiative.

Pressure to drink, or feeling that you need to drink to be accepted by workmates are strong social norms among construction workers. A culture that encourages workmates to drink in shouts can be explained as fostering a sense of unity, but it can also lead to the risk of heavy drinking.

Count Me In aims to create positive alcohol cultures that reduce the instances of risky drinking amongst middle aged men working in the construction industry.

So what can you do if you are feeling ‘beer group pressure’?

1. Tell your workmates in advance you are having an RDO.

2. If you are in a shout ask for a non-alcoholic drink.

3. Let people know you are driving and don’t want to drink.

4. Set a goal – i.e. “I will only have one drink and then I have to leave to go home.”

5. Tell workmates you’re trying to be healthy and would love their support by helping them to not drink.

6. Book a Count Me In presentation as part of your next OHS, Wellbeing or Safety Stand Down meeting.

There was an ‘official’ RDO in the Victorian construction industry this week.

The rostered day off is a chance to spend time with family and friends, and take time out from the demands and stressors of work.

Count Me In recognises the importance of the RDO – so much so that we recommend construction workers consider taking at least two or more consecutive RDO’s as often as they can.

Count Me In created the RDO Challenge to support and encourage middle aged men working in the construction industry to take an unlimited number of alcohol free days or Rostered Drink’s Off.

Taking consecutive RDO’s or alcohol free days can be a manageable and achievable way to drink less. The benefits of taking this approach include improved sleep, reduced calorie consumption and the chance for your liver to have a break. Back to back to back RDO’s can be a first step towards changing your relationship with alcohol and reducing the chance of you drinking at risky levels.

So – we encourage middle aged men working in the construction industry to use the time, money and energy saved by taking an RDO to spend it with family and friends or to do something that doesn’t involve or create the expectation to drink alcohol to a risky level.

When, why and how we drink is what we call alcohol culture, and it has been great to develop effective strategies with managers and workers in the construction industry to develop positive workplace cultures where you do not have to drink to fit in and there is not the pressure to drink when you socialise with workmates.

Over the last few months we have had more than 70 conversations about when, how and why we drink and Count Me In is looking forward to visiting more Reece Group workplaces to talk about alcohol culture and The RDO Challenge.

Count Me In with the support of the  Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth Alcohol Culture Change Initiative is offering the construction industry Unlimited RDO’s this October and encourages construction workers to Sign Up and Ease Up.

Count Me In is all about making positive changes to the alcohol culture in the construction industry, and  while alcohol culture change can be difficult and take time, there are a few small things that a Manager can easily implement in their own workplace.

“I started having a few breakfast meetings [instead of dinners] – I felt fresh and I knew there was no risk of anyone drinking.”

Over the last year Count Me In has had over 100 conversations with Senior Managers in the construction industry about alcohol culture and how we can change it. Based on those conversations, here is a few things that Managers have said they have found useful:

1. Schedule business meetings over breakfast or a coffee instead of lunch or dinner.

2. Drive to events or functions and let your colleagues know in advance you’re having a Rostered Drink Off.

3. Discuss alcohol culture and the Count Me In project with your professional peers.

4. Think about alternative ways to using alcohol as a gift when recognising and reward staff and customers.

5. Register your team for The RDO Challenge

Count Me In with the support of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation  launched our alcohol-culture change initiative last year and we are looking forward to conducting our second  RDO Challenge this October.

Changing the way middle aged men in the Victorian construction industry use and drink alcohol is the aim of Count Me In’s alcohol culture change initiative and one purpose of the RDO Challenge to is create positive conversations about when and why we drink.

The RDO Challenge enables us to take the time to reflect on how often and how much we drink and then set a personal goal in the form of a number of alcohol free days i.e. (Rostered Drink Off).

In 2018 more than 15 Reece Group sites participated in the inaugural RDO Challenge with more more than 100 participants taking 1,800 RDO’s during the month long initiative with almost 40% saying they felt more productive as result of reducing their alcohol intake.

80% of participants also reported having a conversation about alcohol and 53% said they saved more than $50 during the month long challenge. 

Take The RDO Challenge here – SIGN UP. EASE UP.