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Some general facts about substance and alcohol use at work:
· $10,400… that’s the estimated cost to an employer annually per addicted employee! Most of that amount is due to lost productivity through absence.
· About one in five Canadian workers drinks at some time in the workplace.
· Impairment from alcohol and other drugs is a major cause of unemployment and absenteeism.
· Drug and alcohol abuse cost Canada 11.8 billion in productivity losses or about $414 per capita..
How can I tell if my employee is struggling with substance use?
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No Show or Late. |
One of the most obvious signs is absenteeism. The employee frequently misses work, especially Mondays and Fridays, or the day after payday. |
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Frequent breaks. |
Hangovers require frequent trips to the washroom or to the nursing station for pain relievers. |
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Physical signs. |
There may be a lingering smell of alcohol or drugs around that person. The employee may pay less attention to personal hygiene and appearance. |
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Unfit for duty: |
Your employee might be forgetful, indecisive, and unable to remember what you just told him/her. They may make errors in judgment, not work well with other employees, and make costly mistakes. |
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Difficulties with finances. |
Your employee may borrow from co-workers, ask for advances, and appearance may decline as more money is spent on substances instead of appropriate work clothes. |
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Frequent Accidents. |
The employee may become careless and disregard procedures, leading to safety hazards and endangering everyone. |
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Dodging Responsibilities. |
Abusers are often in denial, and blame trouble on someone or something else. They may look for ways to avoid you. |
Learn How
So what can an employer do?
Supervisors and co-workers can actually unintentionally help the employee continue their destructive behaviour by covering up or doing the work for the person.
Some do’s and don’ts:
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Supervisors: |
Coworkers: |
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DON'T:
let your employee continue to work at lower levels than the rest of your staff.
let your fear of exposing the problem stop you from taking action
let your friendship stand in the way of reacting to the problem
let the problem slide until is a huge situation. |
DON'T:
Take over the work
Let friendship stand in the way of helping the person towards recovery
Cover up for the abuser
Lend money to the abuser
Share in the denial, by confirming to the person that they don’t have a problem. |
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DO:
Watch for the warning signs of substance use/abuse
Enforce the company’s policies about substance use
Require consistent standards from all your employees
Refuse to cover up for or take excuses from the abuser |
DO:
Talk with the abuser about your concerns
Refuse to cover up, or take on work for the abuser
Talk over the situation with a supervisor
Refuse to participate in using the substances yourself |
So what can my company do to support a healthy, substance free environment?
· Know the company’s policies about absenteeism, drug abuse, fitness for duty, etc.
· Document, Document, Document! Record problems concerning an employee to keep track of dates, incidents and compile evidence to be sure of your facts.
· Know what networks of support your company offers to a troubled employee, such as EAP programs or other supportive services.
· Talk with your employees before it’s too late.
· Act firmly and quickly, but with sensitivity. Focus on key areas such as performance safety. Be specific with expected outcomes and dates of achievement, clearly outlining what consequences will occur if the target goals are not met. Don’t try to diagnose the problem, as each substance user is different.
· Always refer employees to help. Try EAP or AA.
Make it Policy.
Does your workplace have an alcohol and substance policy? If not here’s how to get started.
· Make sure that all the key stakeholders work on the policy creation. This is the best way to ensure that the policy will be effective and respected by everyone affected. Make sure you have representation from employees as well as management.
· Review other policies from similar workplaces and consult with those companies to get feedback and advice
Ensure your plan covers topics such as:
· Employee awareness
· Alcohol/drug testing procedures if appropriate
· Access to prevention, early intervention and treatment services
· Training of key supervisors and managers
· Monitoring and evaluation activities
Review the policy at regular intervals to ensure that it is still relevant.
Give each employee a copy of the policy, and make sure they understand it.
Call Patty at 625-7994 or email Patricia.Hajdu@tbdhu.com
· For more information on policy creation
· to book a presentation on Host Liability in the Workplace
· For more detailed information on substance abuse in the workplace, you can request the booklet “Substance Abuse in the Workplace: Strung out on the job”.
· For information pamphlets on specific drugs such as barbiturates, amphetamines, alcohol, cocaine etc.