Managing Substance Abuse

in the Workplace

COMPREHENSIVE AGENDA

I. The Prevalence of Substance Abuse
in the Workforce

Research indicates that 15% to 17% of employees negatively affect their organization's success as a result of substance abuse. Indeed, the Small Business Administration reports that, on average, an employee engaged in inappropriate substance use costs their employer $7,000 to $25,000 annually, and the human costs are even greater.

Forty-seven percent of serious workplace accidents and more than one-third of workplace fatalities involve drugs or alcohol. A major hospital emergency department study showed that 35 percent of patients with an occupational injury were at-risk drinkers.

70% of the estimated 14.8 million Americans and 2 million Canadians who use illegal drugs are employed. While alcoholism and drug misuse can affect any industry and any organization, big or small, it is especially prevalent in these particular industries - Foodservice, Drilling and Excavation, Transportation, Construction, Mining, law enforcement and the military.

The intense nature of the military environment underscores the importance of prevention and recognition of substance use disorders to allow for early intervention and optimized recovery for active-duty service members. While the military has seen a decrease in drug and alcohol rates in recent years, the rates are still well above average. As well, the reported rates of illicit drugs increase when active-duty personnel leave military service.

The definition of substance misuse
The Science of substance abuse - how and why it occurs
A brief overview of the societal implications
Key statistics and trends
Substance use vs. abuse
Common misunderstandings about SUDs
Substances that are commonly abused
How employees get hooked
Becoming a substance abuser
Understanding the three stages of substance misuse

II. Impact on the Workplace

Besides negatively impacting the lives of the person engaged in substance misuse, it affects industry in several ways, including a loss of productivity and job performance, as well as workplace accidents and injuries. In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 388 of the 4,786 fatal work injuries that year resulted from unintentional overdose from the use of non-medical drugs at work.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) estimates that substance abuse costs employers $81 billion annually. The cost of lost productivity and absenteeism at work because of drug and alcohol abuse alone exceeds $25 billion, and another $25 billion is lost due to increased healthcare costs. Additionally, an estimated 80% of drug users support their drug use by stealing from their place of work.

One of the characteristic signs of substance misuse is a general deterioration of workplace performance. The cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impairment that results from drug and alcohol addiction can affect productivity, morale, and even the safety of other co-workers. The list of negative consequences includes:

Productivity and performance decline.
Increased errors
Accidents and safety concerns
A suppression of motivation
Absenteeism and turnover
Behavioral Impacts – carelessness, risk-taking, declining performance, as well as a failure to follow rules and safety procedures
Thief and other acts of dishonesty
The contagion of decreased morale
Industrial accidents and workplace injuries
Financial implications and hidden costs
Substance abuse is a complex and destructive disease - but it is treatable

III. Identifying Substance Abuse in

Your Organization

While many employees manage to keep their problem with drugs or alcohol neatly hidden from coworkers or superiors, some signs may belie these efforts, including tremors, taking excessive breaks, a distinct odour associated with alcohol or marijuana withdrawal - isolating themselves at work, or avoiding work-related social occasions.

The presentation of alcohol or drug intoxication in the workplace.
Behavioral signs of alcohol and drug abuse
Physical signs, symptoms and other indicators of abuse
Red flags for substance misuse
Watching for observable behaviors consistent with cognitive impairment
Illegal activities, such as buying or selling drugs at work, or crimes like embezzling from the company
Alterations in personal appearance
Mood swings and attitude changes
Poor decision-making and increased risk-taking
An increased desire for privacy
Withdrawal from responsibility and contact with associates
Manipulation - a common trait for individuals prone to substance abuse
Issues with financial management, such as not paying bills on time or requesting to borrow money
Decreased appetite often with attendant weight loss
Unusual behavior patterns, including the inability to concentrate; even sleeping on the job
Defensive attitudes and hostile behavior
Aggressive or belligerent behavior resulting in verbal, physical, or even sexual assault

IV. Understanding the Behavioral Components
of Substance Abuse

The phrase "addictive personality" gets tossed around a lot these days. The genesis of this idea or term perhaps comes from the observation that while most people can have a glass of wine or a cocktail, buy a lotto ticket, or even experiment with drugs without getting hooked, some fall down the rabbit hole of substance abuse the moment they have their first sip, win or smoke.

Does your employee or yourself, for that matter, have an "addictive personality?"

This is the wrong question to ask. The desire to use drugs stems from biological, social, environmental as well as psychological factors.

There is no such thing as an "addictive personality!"

Personalities are very complex; however, while there's not one specific type that's more prone to substance abuse than others, there are several factors or traits that can combine to make an individual more likely to become addicted. Several longitudinal studies have shown that certain traits or characteristics can suggest a higher risk of developing an addiction.

In the treatment of substance abuse, the Behavioral Styles (iMind) assessment can be given to patients in individual psychotherapy, along with other tests like the Myers-Briggs and DISC Assessment.

The eight recurrent traits found in those suffering from substance misuse
How to identify these traits in your workforce
The role that gender plays in substance abuse
First, understand the person you are hoping to influence
Why some are unable to self-regulate
The role depression or other mood disorders play
Understand the role behavioral patterns play in substance abuse
Behavioral strategies to achieve the results you desire
Prepare effectively for conducting crucial interviews
Analyzing your own Behavioral Styles Profile

V. Legal Implications

Some jurisdictions consider substance abuse as a protected condition under anti-discrimination laws, notably if the substance abuse is recognized as a disability. Terminating or taking adverse action against an employee solely based on their addiction without providing accommodation might lead to legal issues. In this crucial session, we will give a thirty-thousand-foot overview of the rules under employment standards, human rights legislation, and occupational health & safety legislation.

An overview of laws related to substance abuse in the workforce.
Being aware of legally sensitive areas
Rights and responsibilities of employers and employees
Regulations you must adhere to under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The law on discrimination against workers who are being treated for alcoholism or drug addiction
When might alcoholism be considered a FMLA-covered health condition.
What is 'accommodation', and when might it apply?
Examining terms of a collective bargaining agreement or the U.S. Department of Transportation's rules for employees in safety-sensitive positions.
Special rules you must follow under the Drug-Free Workplace Act if you do more than $100K of business with the federal government
Warning supervisors about their presumptions when an employee returns to work after taking FMLA leave drinking problem
How doing or saying the wrong thing could violate the FMLA, the ADA or both
Safety-sensitive industries and medical disclosure policies

The line between personal privacy and professional concern.

VI. Effective Intervention Strategies

As a manager, supervisor or business owner, at some point, you will likely encounter employees with problems related to substance abuse. In some cases, it may not be evident that there is a substance abuse issue. In other cases, you may know, either because the employee admits to being an addict or the problem becomes self-evident. Your role is not to diagnose the substance misuse but to exercise responsibility in dealing with the performance or conduct problem, hold the employee accountable, and take any appropriate disciplinary action.

Your role in dealing with substance abuse in the workplace is crucial. Sometimes, the most effective way to get a person with an addiction to deal with the problem is to make them aware that his or her job is on the line and that he or she must get help and improve performance and conduct or face serious consequences, including the possibility of losing his or her job. At other times, a more nuanced approach will likely be more successful. The following factors and approaches are important:

Creating a supportive environment.
How to approach the employee and confront the issue
How to report drug and alcohol-related concerns
Are reliable witnesses available?
Drug and alcohol testing basics
Discuss and describe performance expectations
How to intervene when you suspect an employee is drinking at work
Why managers must maintain specific records of employee performance'
Approach the person, but not as an enforcer
Keeping the focus on job performance
Setting deadlines for improved job performance.
Takes a proactive approach to training your employees and supervisors
Influence strategies for turning resistance into agreement
The role of education and testing
What are the physical dangers of taking or not taking action?
When should you call security, law enforcement, or 911?
Dismissals and return-to-duty

Case study: Successful interventions.

VII. Building a Substance-Free Workplace

Your substance-free workplace initiative is an invaluable tool in efforts to strengthen and protect your business and your employees from the perils of alcohol and other drug misuse. Creating a written drug and alcohol-free policy that reflects the needs of your workplace and applicable laws is a vital part of a successful drug-free workplace program. Integrating the Substance Abuse Policy into your workplace culture and environment and keeping the program responsive to changing conditions is also vital.

Implementing and enforcing drug-free workplace policies.
Types of resources you might inventory as part of your planning process
The critical importance of a Substance Abuse Policy
Writing and Implementing a Substance Abuse Policy
The significance of understanding and consistently enforcing your company's substance abuse policy
Determining whether to implement drug testing
Recognizing that addiction recovery is a process rather than an event.
What is the role of a supervisor in a drug-free workplace
Providing education and training for employees and supervisors