Nearly one in 10 Britons head to the office suffering from the after effects of too much alcohol at least twice a week, a poll of 1,000 people by charity Drinkaware suggests.

This works out as 520,000 fragile-feeling people heading in to work each day.

Of these almost one in five admit struggling to keep on top of their workload and to making mistakes.   And seven per cent of employees with a hangover have even had to leave work early because they were too poorly to carry on.

The survey also revealed contradictory perceptions of drinking with nearly two-thirds admitting they've joked about having a hangover with a colleague or their boss, despite 89 per cent of people thinking that having a hangover at work is unacceptable

With the football World Cup just two weeks away, Drinkaware predicts these figures will increase in June and July during the tournament, having a direct impact on workplace productivity up and down the country.

Drinkaware has teamed up with private healthcare provider Bupa to advise employers how to manage alcohol in the workplace.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: 'Having a hangover at work doesn't just affect the person who has drunk to excess.

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'With hundreds of thousands of people going to work every day after a heavy night, it impacts work productivity and even results in employees going home sick.

'An international sporting event like the World Cup will inevitably capture the attention of the nation and is a great time for people to come together, but hangovers at work are likely to increase.

Dr Katrina Herren, medical director of Bupa Health and Well-being said: 'As an employer, it is important not to ignore the effects of alcohol on employees or the adverse effects it can have on the workplace environment. 

'Employees should also be aware that if someone is regularly coming into work with a hangover this could be a sign of wider alcohol or mental health problems.'

Drinkaware advises men to stick to the recommended guidelines of three to four units of alcohol per day - a pint and a half of lager - and women to stick to two to three units per day, a 175ml glass of wine.