The Threat of Addiction in the Workplace
By Meghan Vivo
Drug and alcohol addiction can affect every aspect of a person’s life. In addition to the devastating impact on family and friends, roughly three-quarters of the 16.4 million illicit drug users and 15 million heavy alcohol users bring their struggles to work every day.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 10 percent of all U.S. workers have a substance abuse problem. Whether employees use alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs, or other substances, their behaviors can have a profound impact on the workplace. For example, one survey reported that 9 percent of heavy drinkers and 10 percent of drug users had missed work because of a hangover, and 6 percent had gone to work high or drunk in the past year.
Substance abusers are absent from work three times more often, and are 25 to 30 percent less productive, than non-abusing employees, according to the DOL. These statistics translate into increased workloads for coworkers, lower employee morale, higher employee turnover rates, and more health insurance and worker’s compensation claims.
Problems with drugs and alcohol that spill into the workplace also result in significantly higher safety risks on the job. The DOL warns that 65 percent of all accidents on the job are directly related to alcohol or other drug use. Other research indicates that between 10 and 20 percent of the nation’s workers who die on the job test positive for alcohol or other drugs.
Reading the Signs
Unfortunately, the signs of addiction aren’t always as clear as a coworker stumbling to his desk, wreaking of alcohol, slurring his speech, or talking openly about his “party lifestyle” – and some addicts have had months or years of experience hiding their substance abuse problems. Here are a few red flags to watch for if you’re concerned about a coworker or employee:
- Excessive absenteeism
- Forgetting to turn in assignments, shirking important responsibilities, or other deterioration in job performance or work quality
- Extended breaks or lunches, or consistent early departures from work
- Poor personal hygiene or grooming
- Erratic or unusual behaviors like extreme talkativeness, impatience, paranoia, sleepiness, or shaky hands
- Stealing from the company or coworkers
- Unusual weight loss or gain
- Attitude changes (irritability, mood swings, restlessness, or anxiety)
- Increased disagreements with coworkers, deteriorating relationships, or a withdrawal from normal social interactions
- Accidents on or off the job
Taking Appropriate Measures
When a substance abuse problem becomes so pervasive it disturbs the workplace, coworkers and supervisors must take action.
For Coworkers:
Do not enable addictive behaviors by ignoring, excusing, or covering up for the coworker who abuses drugs or alcohol. Lying to cover up a missed assignment or accident, rationalizing problem behaviors, avoiding contact with the person, or taking on extra work to make up for his mistakes will prevent him from recognizing the seriousness of his addiction.
Depending on the situation and your relationship with the coworker, you may want to take affirmative steps to help. Try talking to your coworker about your concerns in a straightforward, compassionate way – but be prepared to hear excuses, apologies, angry remarks, tearful pleas, and claims of innocence. Remember there’s only so much any one person can do, especially if the addict doesn’t want help. Your job is to offer non-judgmental support and encourage them to seek treatment, not solve the problem yourself.
For Employers:
A company’s staff is its most valuable resource. Since all businesses will confront an employee’s drug or alcohol addiction at some point, every employer should have a plan in place for addressing addiction in the workplace and getting treatment for those who need it. Research suggests that addiction treatment costs less than replacing an employee and is well worth the investment in terms of customer satisfaction, increased morale, and improved job performance.
In a national survey of more than 1,000 human resources professionals conducted by the nonprofit Hazelden Foundation, 67 percent reported that substance abuse and addiction is one of the most serious issues they face in their company. Yet only 22 percent of HR professionals said their companies openly and proactively deal with employee substance abuse and addiction issues.
A company’s substance abuse program should be tailored to the size, needs, and structure of the particular company. The DOL recommends including the following standard components in a comprehensive workplace substance abuse program:
- A written policy statement
- Supervisor training
- Employee education and awareness
- Employee assistance for providing help
- Drug and alcohol testing
Drug testing is not permitted in every state and can be a costly and controversial part of a company’s substance abuse program. If testing isn’t feasible or cost-effective, many companies establish strong discipline policies in its place.
Once a program is in place, the company should train its supervisors on the policy and procedures, ways to identify potential problems, and how to refer employees to treatment. Experts suggest that managers document unusual behaviors like tardiness, absences, or missed assignments, and set up a meeting with the employee to discuss these observations and concerns. They should politely refuse to accept excuses, keep all information confidential, and offer to help find ways to resolve the problem.
Addiction is a chronic disease that can impact anyone – even the most successful employees at the largest, most reputable companies. Problems with substance abuse don’t have to spell doom for a person’s career and livelihood. With the appropriate treatment and support, employees can return to work more productive and more valuable than ever.
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