ALMOST a fifth of workers in the West Midlands say they have gone to work still feeling drunk after boozy nights out over the past 12 months.

According to the new research from Willis Towers Watson (WTW), 18 per cent say they arrive at work still feeling the effects of the night before and more 52 per cent of these workers said they had driven to work.

The survey also found 19 per cent had taken sick days after a big night out with 53 per cent admitting to the boss a hangover was the cause of their absence.

Mike Blake, wellbeing lead at WTW, said: "These findings suggest that far too many people in the West Midlands are putting their safety and wellbeing, and potentially the safety of others, at risk.

“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."

Blake points out that, alongside their vital duty of care responsibilities, employers should also be mindful of their business bottom line.

The research found a third of workers in the West Midlands have hangovers on a monthly basis that affect their productivity.

Mr Blake added: “A failure to discourage or to inadvertently fan the flames of alcohol misuse can seriously jeopardise business performance through alcohol and hangover-induced downturns in energy levels – not to mention other accompanying risks, such as the negative impact to customer relations and business reputations."