26 Dec The Role of an Employer when an Employee is Struggling with Substance Use
By no means does addiction only impact the individual with substance use disorder. When a person becomes dependent, the consequences eventually trickle down to their family life, social life, and professional life. However, this doesn’t mean that employers can’t support their employees who are struggling. Of course, if someone isn’t fulfilling their job role due to addiction, it will often result in needing to find someone who can, but there are steps we can take to support them through recovery and help them return to work when they are ready. Throughout this blog, we are going to discuss practices employers can foster in their workplace to help them provide as much support and guidance as possible to those recovering from and battling with substance use disorder.
The Importance of Understanding What They Are Going Through
The first step is to understand what they are going through. Due to the stigma surrounding addiction, it is common for employers and family members to not provide appropriate support. Drug use and excessive alcohol consumption usually start from deep-rooted issues with a person’s mental health and well-being. If someone has had troubles at home, suffered trauma, or faced any other personal battle, they are far more susceptible to succumbing to peer pressure and experimenting with things they wouldn’t have otherwise. Understanding these underlying causes of substance use can help us develop a more empathetic strategy when trying to support those in need. For many, one of the primary triggers that causes relapse is not being able to develop structure in their life during the recovery process. As an employer, this is one gift you can give to help with their recovery journey.
Five Ways Employers Can Support Employees During this Difficult Time
The key to supporting employees throughout their addiction recovery is to foster a supporting, understanding and communicative environment in the workplace. Of course, there are boundaries, which we will move on to afterwards, but following these five steps can tremendously enhance the well-being of employees.
One – Provide Secure and Open Communication Channels: It is essential for employers to feel like they have a safe space to discuss personal issues. The more often this is practised, the more likely you can provide appropriate support. Without open communication, issues may not be addressed before they arise.
Two – Offer Employee Assistance Programs: Workplaces should be aware of the problems their employees are likely to face, so it is crucial to provide resources to assist them with the struggles they might be going through. Make employees aware of counselling options, mental health services, and addiction recovery programs. This will demonstrate that you understand and care about what they might be going through.
Three – Offer Flexibility: If you know an employee is struggling with addiction and is currently in recovery, have a talk with them and offer them flexible working arrangements. Whether this is allowing them to choose their shifts or letting them work from home when they need to, it will enhance the recovery process and help them abstain.
Four – Don’t Leave Managers in the Dark: It is essential that everyone is on board with providing support to employees battling addiction. Offer all managerial staff proper training in how to provide support in these situations and let them know what is going on. If they are unaware you are providing support to an individual in your workplace, their actions may be detrimental to that person’s recovery.
Five – Develop Policies Aimed at Supporting Employees: Develop a clearly defined policy and ensure everyone in the workplace is aware of it. This may include assistance and support during recovery or a second chance policy. Additionally, employing policies such as these will foster a positive and far more productive work environment.
Why Maintaining Stability is Essential for Individul’s Battling Addiction
When a person struggles with addiction, It is likely that they will encounter instabilities in many aspects of their life. When a person’s life lacks stability, they can begin to feel a sense of hopelessness and a lack of self-worth. Stability in a person’s life provides immense support for them during their recovery journey and significantly lowers the likelihood of them relapsing along the way. The fear of losing one’s livelihood can be detrimental to a person’s overall well-being, so employers have a responsibility to provide appropriate support during these difficult times.
Understanding Boundaries
While this article focuses on the importance of providing support for those struggling with addiction, it is also essential to maintain professional boundaries. There is a fine line that should not be crossed when it comes to support, ensuring employers don’t overstep the mark and become involved with personal matters. From the moment an employer begins to provide support, clear guidelines should be defined, and the employee should understand the extent of support appropriate to offer in the workplace. Both parties need to respect the employer-employee relationship and not become entangled in each other’s personal lives.
Why Employers Should Educate Themselves on Substance Abuse
To ensure the proper support is provided during an employee’s recovery journey, the employer must educate themselves on all aspects of substance use to understand the causes, effects, and risks involved. Doing this will ensure they can provide a much higher level of support and know how to approach the situation. Additionally, employers can seek help from addiction specialists, occupational health services, HR consultants, and various organisations to develop a better understanding of how they can support their staff.
Need to know More?
If you want to know more about what employers can do to provide essential support or are concerned about an employee but aren’t clear on the situation, we are here to help. At Calm Rehab, we are dedicated to providing the support and guidance employers, families, and friends need to help individuals through their recovery journey. Addiction recovery is a delicate process, and it is crucial to support others through it as much as we can.
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