How to Build a Recovery-Friendly Workplace

In the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous, there is a chapter dedicated entirely to, and aptly titled, "To Employers." Why do you think they have an entire chapter on recovery in the Workplace in a 12-Step program? The answer is that the Workplace is one of the places most affected by those struggling with alcohol and substance use disorder.

Cultivating a recovery-friendly environment is essential for you, your employees, and your clients. Next Level Recovery Associates has the specialists, tools, and resources to help you create a friendly work environment, from activities with clients to offering employees the resources they need to meet their needs. Maintaining a friendly workplace and creating a safe space can support and nurture growth for your employees and clientele.

The Damage Substance Use Disorder can have on the Workplace.

When someone struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) goes unnoticed or unacknowledged in the Workplace, it is usually only a matter of time before some adverse effects become more apparent and visible. After all, SUD is a progressive disease. Also, there is a good chance that many of those effects had been going on long before they were noticed.

The consequences brought upon a business by unchecked substance abuse are hard to quantify. But they may include a stressful and unsafe work environment, financial malfeasance, loss of clientele, and damage to your business's professional reputation.

It is important to understand that an employee struggling with substance abuse is not your fault as an employer. You are also justified in more severe actions, such as suspension and termination. No one would fault you. We are all accountable for our actions and behaviors. However, there is another way to mitigate damage to your business while keeping your employee.

Understanding The Employee's Needs

Some of the best employees are often the same ones struggling with substance use disorder. With a better understanding of addiction, this should come as no surprise. People actively engaging in their addiction often go to any length to protect it. This includes overcompensating at work. The thought process is, "I can't have a problem with drugs or alcohol. I'm successful at my job."

While it may be surprising to find out that one of your best employees is struggling, it may offer some solace. After all, if they are that effective as an employee while consumed with active addiction, imagine how much more productive they will be after recovery.

How Next Level Recovery Associates Can Help

If you suspect that one or some of your employees are struggling with substance use disorder, Next Level Recovery Associates can help. We have therapeutic recovery and clinical specialists that can help get your employees the help they need while also helping you establish a workplace best suited for all your needs.

At Next Level Recovery Associates, we take a customizable approach to all of our client's needs, and we have several different tools and resources to do so. These include customized case management, intervention services, and recovery companions.

Customized Case Management

Our case management is designed to fit our client's needs. We take a full assessment of each case and create a plan that may include recovery or family coaching, individual or group counseling, and ongoing in-person or online support.

We also have the resources to get your employee to the best treatment facility or recovery center to meet their needs. This includes our connections to various centers that offer detox and therapeutic or psychotherapeutic options.

Intervention Services

We have specialists that can help you implement an intervention that has the potential to get your employee moving in the right direction toward the help they desperately need. We will guide you through the entire process. From the initial assessment to the intervention to getting them to the best place to help them recover, we will be there every step of the way.

Recovery Companions

Our recovery companions will help your employee get back on their feet once they have left their initial place of recovery. They will help them navigate their new road of recovery and help them avoid the obstacles that may prove too much for them on their own.

The Business Potential for a "Recovered" Workplace

Looking at recovery from a financial standpoint, getting your employee treatment rather than termination makes sense. The truth is that, more often than not, it costs more to hire someone new than to rehabilitate someone that already works for you.

But, looking beyond the financials, there is a human component here. Our relationships in the Workplace are often some of the closest bonds we'll make. It is a shame to throw that away, especially with a more positive and effective alternative available.

Remember, an employee struggling with SUD is not a bad person trying to do harm. They are a sick person needing to get well.

When someone is struggling with substance use disorder, it does not only affect the individual. It ripples out and can create havoc for everyone in their orbit, not least of which is their place of employment. As expected, this can place significant stress in the workplace, leaving employers unsure what to do or where to turn. That's why many employers resort to termination. This is understandable and justified as their business is being affected, but there is another way. We have the tools and resources to help your employee recover so they can get back to work better than before. For more information, reach out to Next Level Recovery Associates today at (561) 735-2590.