What can employer groups do to support their employees during this difficult time? The simplified answer is conversation, education, prevention, and resources.

Nearly $100 Billion dollars.

No, that is not a Dr. Evil quote from the Austin Powers movies. That number is the amount of money corporations and employer groups in the United States lose each year because of addiction (substance use disorders) related issues in the workplace.

While that is an enormous amount of money, there is speculation that 2020 is going to be a much costlier year for American businesses thanks to the devastating Coronavirus Pandemic. In fact, recent reports speculate that opioid-related overdose rates are up 60% since the start of the pandemic. According to an article written by SHRM (Society for HR Management), at least 30 states are reporting a spike in fatal opioid related overdoses since the prohibitory nature of the restrictions placed on Americans to combat the Covid-19 virus has begun. Loneliness, depression, anxiety, & death by suicide are also, apparently, on the rise.

 More and more working-class Americans have become susceptible to developing a substance use disorder or failing mental health issues due to the added stressors caused by the virus such as quarantining, employment concerns, financial fears, adapting to virtual work environments, family and child care concerns, and, of course, isolation/loneliness. 

So, the question becomes: What can employer groups do to support their employees during this difficult time?

The simplified answer is conversation, education, prevention, and resources.

Let’s Talk About It

In 2019, the Willis Towers Watson Emerging Trends Survey revealed that only 22% of employer groups have a plan in place to address opioid use in the workplace and an additional 23% of employers are “considering” starting initiatives that address it. Unfortunately, these numbers are no where close to where they need to be given the gravity and widespread problem with substance abuse this country was facing prior to the pandemic’s start. Unfortunately, this problems has only been exacerbated by the virus’s restrictions and employer groups are now scrambling for ways to address these growing concerns.

It is our opinion that starting to combat workplace substance abuse issues should be addressed in the same way a married couple would work through an argument…by talking it out. Using the same analogy, if a married couple has a problem with each other and doesn’t address the said problem, the problem tends to fester and grow causing toxicity in the relationship. Well, the same applies for addressing problems in the workplace.

Unfortunately, it is uncommon, in the corporate world, for employees to be expected to address their personal life issues and are often asked to check their emotions or problems at the door when they arrive to work - or in the times of the new normal, when they sign onto a staff zoom meeting.

This archaic way of thinking lives on the belief that human beings can just shut off their feelings once they walk through or sign into the magical emotion-removing doorway of their jobs. The truth is that most of the costs of substance use disorders in the workplace stem from presenteeism and lost productivity. In fact, 42% of employees report that they are less productive when they, or a loved one, is abusing alcohol or drugs. This tells us that people do not have the ability to shut their personal lives off once they get to work and their productivity is suffering because of it which, in turn, also affects the profitability of the organization.

As if it wasn’t already difficult to separate personal lives from professional lives, now, as stated above, the majority of large employer groups are having their employees work virtually from home where much of their problems exist. 

The reality of the situation - and the human condition - is that there is a problem occurring in nearly every workplace that’s not being addressed. Instead, it’s being tiptoed around out of fears of liability suits, changing the cultural norm, and “if we don’t know about it, it’s not our problem”. 

Where to Start

The longer we are seeing employees forced to work from home, the more issues we are seeing arise within the workforce. A great jumping off point would be to initiate company-wide conversation. Like any seemingly difficult conversation, it has to start sometime and the longer it’s put off, the worse the problem grows. 

Often times, people just want to know that it’s ok to speak up and/or talk to someone if they have a problem. By bringing substance abuse professionals or mental health experts in to discuss the issue of substance abuse in the workplace with the staff or to educate the HR team on how to address the staff appropriately, people will feel more open to addressing their issues since they aren’t the ones who initiated the conversation. Remember, making that first ask for help can often be the hardest part for an employee, so having someone else open the door to the conversation makes the process of being vulnerable feel a lot more accessible!

PRACTICAL TIP: Having done countless numbers of these presentations in the corporate space, I specifically recommend addressing the staff directly and to bring in an outside presenter that doesn’t work for the organization to initiate these types of delicate topics. This is a service that Next Level Recovery Associates Inc offers.

By having these conversations in a non-judgmental and educational format, the organization can help to provide insight into the disease of addiction, how it manifests, who it affects, and help to reduce the workplace stigmas and anxieties for those people needing guidance on their own issues. The goal is to break the awkward silence about the disease that everyone is afraid to talk about. It may be uncomfortable to do but it’s absolutely necessary to address. 

Now more than ever, employees are struggling at home, so offering them a break from their work to attend a virtual seminar geared towards their wellness can be considered a relief from the day to day grind and remind employees that their employer has their best interest in mind.  

Interesting Fact: Having a virtual seminar also allows for employees to show up anonymously that would have normally not shown up for this type of event out of fear of embarrassment or people assuming they have an issue. 

Next Steps

Once the conversational door has been opened, just like with a golf swing, the follow through is of utmost importance. 

We have seen many companies make the mistake of having a wellness presentation regarding substance abuse and then not follow through with any changes or reminders to employees that resources exist to help them. In the ensuing days following a presentation, efforts should be made to keep the conversation going and the door open if someone needs to ask for guidance. 

By sending out reminders, via email, of places, people, or contact information for an Employee assistance program (if the organization utilizes one) it continually reinforces the message that the company is supportive of their employees getting help they may need. There are some companies that have gone as far as creating a “recovery friendly workplace”. These initiatives offers employees lee-way should the employee need to leave to attend support meetings, on or off-site counselors to speak to, and/or have employee ran support groups in the office/virtually for those seeking recovery, or in recovery, to attend. 

Another way an organization should address workplace substance abuse issues would be to revise their existing workplace substance abuse policies. Many organizations have a zero-tolerance policy that results in immediate termination, but data has proven that this is actually more damaging – and costly – for the employee and the company. Instead of letting someone go, it may be wiser to create a zero-tolerance policy that results in requiring the employee to receive help. Studies have shown that by helping an employee in this way, organizations tend to see an increase in the employees productivity and loyalty once returning to work.

One thing to note, obviously, the severity of the policy is dependent on the type of job people are doing because no organization ever wants to put the public in danger. Any job where public safety is involved, a substance abuse policy must be carefully thought out to secure the best interest of the public. With that being said, pilots are even given a second chance should they be found to have struggled with a substance use disorder. Substance abuse policies are rarely black and white or simple to formulate, but with enough thought, care, and prepared resources, there is always a good way to address these types of issues with employees. I’ve seen teacher organizations that offer people something called a “last chance agreement” where they have to go be assessed by a substance abuse professional and follow through with that professionals recommendations before returning to work. Once these teachers return to work, they also agree to random drug screenings to ensure they are maintaining abstinence. 

How great is that?! It’s a win/win for both sides. The teacher gets to keep their job and got help for their substance use disorder and the school protects their students and saves money on hiring/training costs. 

Bottom Line

Whether organizations like it or not, we can no longer avoid the fact that America is facing a serious problem with substance abuse and failing mental health. With over 70% of American adults that have substance use disorders being employed, it is up to employers to do their part in addressing their employee’s health concerns by providing education, resources, and fair policies.

Is there a perfect way to address such a taboo topic in the workplace? Certainly not. But, by getting the conversation started and allowing your employees the opportunity to receive help, we can start creating a workplace culture that no longer views this topic as taboo but as a normal part of the human condition that can be addressed with proper care.

Employees are human. Let’s end the era of treating them like robots that can check their emotions at the door and begin to address the silence that so many feel they can’t break free from. 

To Learn more about the Corporate Wellness Presentations and Corporate Substance Abuse Consulting offered by Next Level Recovery Associates, Please E-mail us at: Consult@NextLevelRecoveryAssociates.com