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Or, they may start to withdraw from social activities or isolate themselves from others. If you see a sudden change in your employee’s behavior, it is important to talk to them about it. They may have a legitimate reason for the change, but if they cannot provide one, it could be a sign of drug use. An employee who is suddenly always angry or fatigued may be using drugs.
- It affects people from all walks of life—teens and adults, professionals and blue collar workers alike.
- It is often the immediate family of abusers who bear the brunt of abuse issues.
- You should closely monitor the person to ensure that there is no risk to their health and safety and take appropriate action such as paid leave or lighter duties.
- It is also an excellent way to create awareness and promote acceptance of medical treatment for substance abuse disorders.
- This can manifest as higher-than usual absenteeism spread across many months.
It’s therefore important to keep an eye out for signs that an employee is under the influence, including those outlined above. Take note also of sudden increases in workplace accidents and be sure to record them, as this may point to an alcohol or drug problem. Any absences due to attending treatment or counselling should be treated as sickness absence. After all, consuming eco sober house complaints alcohol negatively impacts an individual’s ability to concentrate, problem-solve, and react to problems quickly. This will naturally concern employers, as it could increase the potential for mistakes to be made, as well as pose real health and safety risks. There are a number of ways the workplace can play an active role in the treatment of substance abuse.
Further information and advice
Liam firmly believes that issues around drug and alcohol use should be viewed primarily as a wellbeing, rather than a purely disciplinary, issue. He can help your organisation take a proactive and preventative approach to the issue so that drug and alcohol use does not become a serious problem for your organisation or your staff in the first place. His goal is to help your workplace stay safe, support staff who may be struggling and remain legally compliant.
You may speak to your GP about treatment and approach your employer to request time off to access this if you need to. If you have a healthcare plan through your employer, this may help in covering treatment costs, so be sure to explore this. Under a law called the Misuse of Drugs Act, if you drink alcohol or take drugs or other substances while at work, you could be breaking the law and you may be prosecuted. Employees are made aware of any possible disciplinary action they may face if they refuse a test. Find out more about how to support a colleague dealing with drug/alcohol misuse at workhere. Our Display Screen Equipment online course explores how to set up your workstation to avoid health and safety issues.
This might be a problem if you are on a fixed term contract as when it comes to renewal the employer will want you to sign a contract on the new terms. All employees should bear in mind that by ignoring the problem, it will only get worse. All treatment providers we recommend are regulated by the Care Quality Commission or Care Inspectorate.
As an employer, what can you do about addiction?
This Act also deems the operators who employ these members of staff to be guilty of an offence, except in cases where they did everything necessary to prevent the worker from committing the offence. Another reason you should address addiction as an employer is so that you actually do more than take care of that single employee – you’ll also be taking care of their family as well. While money is important, it shouldn’t be the only thing holding the employer-employee bond together. Ensuring that your staff get the professional help they need when they need it is a way of showing you care about investing in their future. Isolation and disinterest in social interactions are also red flags that may indicate a problem, especially if the employee in question wasn’t always that way.
- Substance abuse disorder is characterised by excessive use of an addictive substance (e.g., prescription medication, street drugs, alcohol, etc.) which causes harm to a person’s social or personal wellbeing.
- Management understanding and being able to address the issue professionally is one way to help cut down on cost and any loss in productivity.
- These problems may take on various forms and affect businesses in different ways.
These biases impact how we interact with and treat each other, but we often don’t realise it. In this course, you will explore what unconscious bias is and where it comes from, then examine the effects of unconscious bias and what steps we can take to combat it in the workplace. Our Performance eLearning solutions help unlock and achieve individual potential, create high performing teams and improve your overall business performance. Our best-in-class H&S online courses offer a comprehensive solution to your training needs, keeping your teams safe and your business fully compliant. They may avoid people and irrationally blame them for personal mistakes. Help Me Stop psychotherapist, Ted Ferguson, writes about what denial is, and why denial is relevant to addiction and the process of recovery.
Solutions For Your Workplace: Training Workshops for Managers and Employees
Your employer will likely have many ways they can help you and they are unlikely to dismiss you unless your addiction has caused you to break the terms of your contract. As an employee, you should make sure that you read and understand the drug and alcohol policy. Additionally, if you are struggling with an addiction, you should see your GP who can provide you with a written diagnosis to show to your employer. We can provide access to specialist training to help those who manage and support staff welfare at work. We can offer a wide range of consultative advice to help you sensitively manage the problem of addiction or self-destructive behaviour amongst your employees. As well as offering our free addiction advice service to your employees, we are happy to work with you to assist the most valued members of your team towards recovery.
Seeking out help is never easy, lease of all from a person who could ultimately decide to cut off the individual addict’s livelihood. There may, of course, be other reasons for such behaviour patterns but it is sensible to consider the possibility that misuse of drugs could be the cause. We combine the service qualityof a law firmwith thecertainty of fixed-fee servicesto provide expert, solutions-focusedEmployment Law,HRandHealth & Safety support tailored to employers. Employees who regularly turn up to work drunk may do so because they have a dependency on alcohol.
High-risk occupationsinclude hospitality, construction, sales and management, the armed forces, law enforcement, and artistic industries like writers, musicians, and actors. Testing can include the collection of samples and sending them to an external laboratory for analysis. Some testing can be completed on-site, and a result obtained within a few minutes. Smelling of alcohol, or certain drugs such as cannabis, and excessive use of chewing gum, mints and mouthwash. Cannabis is the most prevalent, followed by powder cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and amphetamine.
- Employees who regularly turn up to work drunk may do so because they have a dependency on alcohol.
- Some employees will be asked to take regular or random drug tests by their employers.
- In this course, you will explore what unconscious bias is and where it comes from, then examine the effects of unconscious bias and what steps we can take to combat it in the workplace.
In this section, we provide resources to help you better understand this illness, and what to do if you or a loved one are affected by alcoholism. In this section, we outline a range of evidence-based addiction treatments. These treatments are available at residential or outpatient rehab clinics across the UK and abroad. Hannah began writing for the Hub in 2015 and specialises in HR and social issues.
For more information about the addiction services that Ocean Recovery offer, download our brochure. See below list of just some of the locations our leading alcohol rehab service covers in the United Kingdom. This makes approaching a colleague about an addiction even more challenging as a substance problem can be hard to detect. Functioning addicts can also be defensive or in denial about their addiction, particularly in a work environment as it threatens their reputation, job and livelihood.
These problems may take on various forms and affect businesses in different ways. While some industries may be more susceptible to these issues, they can affect any business in any industry. When all of those areas are in agreement for how addiction issues should be handled by management, then it is easier to make sure that affected employees are aware of their options for getting help and continuing recovery.
Denial in Addiction: Shock Absorber for the Soul
Not only does drug and/or alcohol impact the health and wellbeing of the substance abuser, but the workplace can also suffer as a result of addiction. If an employee is abusing drugs or alcohol during the working https://sober-house.org/ hours, then it’s likely this will cause many negative legal issues to arise. Turning a blind eye to this behaviour will not shield you from legal liabilities if anybody is injured due to your employee’s addiction.
Addiction in any form whether substance or behaviour related is often shrouded in secrecy and the person suffering from addiction may feel stigmatised, this is true within the workforce as in any area of life. This often leads to denial from both employees and employers about problems concerning alcohol and drug misuse within the workplace, as Rob Lloyd, Managing Director at Prevention Digital, explains. Ocean Recovery Centre currently works with many UK and international businesses who are committed to helping their key staff tackle their drug and alcohol addiction issues. Our treatment clinics are designed for employees to engage with the treatment programme, whilst maximising in-house digital technology to stay involved at work.
Substance misuse in the workplace is a complex area that requires a high degree of sensitivity and empathy. When an employee is having problems with substances, such as alcohol and drugs, it can severely affect eco sober house ma their lives and others around them. Drug and alcohol testing are not legally required and are not enforceable. However, employers have general legal duties, under the Health and Safety at Work, etc.
We passionately believe that companies should do everything they can to support a valuable member of staff who may be going through a difficult period. Dismissal may not only be very damaging for the employee, but also financially for the company. This session is tailored to your workplace, the specific issues you may face and the type of Drug and Alcohol policy you have. We provide effective solutions to the problems you may be facing by encouraging a proactive and preventative approach to these issues. Only a quarter of HR professionals are even aware of ‘smart drugs’ such as Modafanil despite their increasing use in workplaces.
No business owner wishes to see their investment in staffing lost through the absence, dismissal or injury of a worker as a result of substance abuse. Supervisors and other managers need to be clear about company rules and what to do if they suspect employees’ drinking or drug-taking is affecting their work. They also need to be aware of the implications of not tackling possible alcohol and drug misuse, especially where safety is an issue.
What are the signs of drug use in the workplace?
Most importantly, employers should seek to encourage an employee struggling with addiction to access help to recover. Not only is this management style great for keeping open communication and building trust, but it will make it easier to spot unusual behaviours that may be a red flag for alcohol or drug misuse. If it’s unjustified and uncharacteristic, it’s time to take note of the person’s symptoms and see what’s troubling them. Employers have a legal duty to protect employees’ health, safety and welfare.
