Substance use in the workplace reaches a crisis point: HR’s role in tackling addiction issues

Substance use can be a tough topic to broach in the workplace. But it’s an essential one. 

Recent years have caused emotional turmoil for many and forced many workers to find new ways to cope with a chaotic and unpredictable world. In fact, data from Senate.gov found that drug overdose deaths in the U.S. increased by nearly 30% in the first year of the pandemic.

Substance use and alcoholism can permeate every part of someone’s life, including the workplace – and that can have real impacts on your business. In fact, substance use costs workplaces an annual minimum of $15,640 per affected employee enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance, totaling $35 billion, recent data found.  

While HR can’t control what workers choose to do, they can show up for employees struggling with addiction by offering resources and treatment options when employees are ready to begin recovery. 

Substance use in the workplace

Substance use has more of an impact on the workplace than many may think. In fact, 70% of those with a substance use disorder – 13.6 million workers – are employed, according to the CDC.

Even if an employee isn’t struggling with addiction themselves, the issue may still permeate their lives through family or friends. 

In fact, almost half of workers (46%) have experienced personal or family substance or alcohol misuse issues, according to a new study from Pelago. What’s more, one in six reported missing work due to a personal substance or alcohol use problem.

“These results show that substance use has reached a crisis point in the workplace; it is no longer simply a personal issue, but one that can – and must – be managed at the organizational level,” said Dr. Yusuf Sherwani, CEO & co-founder of Pelago. 

Despite the severity of this problem, the topic is still considered taboo, especially at work. Pelago’s report found that very few workers (7%) felt that they can go to their employers for help with substance use, and less than half (43%) feel they can ask for help in general. 

And 58% of those who are uncomfortable asking for help for substance or alcohol problems cite “shame or humiliation” as a reason for not asking for help. Nearly half (48%) are also afraid of losing their job if they ask for help with substance use or alcohol misuse.

“There are millions of workers right now silently struggling with substance use that can’t get the support they need due to stigma or lack of benefits,” said Sherwani. 

HR’s role in supporting workers with substance use

Pelago’s report found that a majority of workers (62%) believe their employer should offer support for substance or alcohol use management, but only 17% report that their workplace actually has this benefit.

“Substance use is widely misunderstood, but there is research to support that employers have an advantage in successfully initiating treatment rather than friends or family,” said Sherwani. “The time is now for employers to realize that they have a unique opportunity to offer their employees the right benefits and break the long-held stigmas around substance use that have kept many from getting the help they need.”

It’s clear that the workforce is facing a crisis – but what can HR do about it? Here are some best practices to support workers battling substance use:

• Provide education to employees: Pelago’s study found that many employees are misinformed about many aspects of addiction, with the majority (75%) saying there are no effective medications to treat addiction and over one-third (39%) believing that rehab is the only way to treat substance use.
• Keep a pulse on your employees’ well-being and mental health: Substance or alcohol misuse is intrinsically linked with mental health, so regularly checking in with employees who are struggling with their mental health or experiencing high levels of stress can help them find the support they need, and
• Ensure employees know all their options when it comes to addiction treatment: Not all treatment options are accessible for all employees, so it’s a good idea to have a multitude of resources available to help employees choose the best option for them.