Ignoring the problem will only make it worse
Dealing with addictions in the workplace is hard – especially in family-owned businesses. Should the family member who works in your business be treated differently from non-family employees? Are employees who aren’t family members more likely to be disciplined or terminated when their performance starts to suffer?
These questions matter because substance abuse by any of your employees can have detrimental effects on productivity, worker relationships, and safety. It also can erode the morale of co-workers and diminish the positive workplace culture you have worked so hard to build.
Don’t be naive and assume that substance abuse isn’t happening in your workplace. Just because you are laser-focused on running the business doesn’t mean everyone else in your office shares your dedication. Substance abuse can be found in almost every workplace in America.
The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence estimates that about 70 percent of the Americans who use illicit drugs are in the workforce.
According to a survey conducted by American Addiction Centers, roughly 23% of people admit they have used either alcohol or illicit drugs in the workplace. One in five people knows that a few of their co-workers use drugs or alcohol at work and 16% said they know many co-workers who use illegal drugs or alcohol at work.
The most commonly used substances in the workplace are alcohol and marijuana. But some workers may also be abusing prescription drugs, including Oxycontin, Vicodin, Adderall, or Ritalin.
Employees working at home may also be using alcohol or drugs. One study found that people who work from home (part time or full time) are about 10% more likely to get drunk during working hours than people who work full time in an office. Forty percent of people who work from home full time say they have gotten high before and during work hours.
Managing addictions in the workplace requires understanding the signs and having policies and procedures in place to handle substance abuse problems of both the non-family employees and family members who work in the business.
What is an addiction?
Not everyone who uses drugs or drinks alcohol at work is an addict. Addiction is defined as a treatable chronic medical disease characterized by the repeated, uncontrollable use of substances. People with addictions will continue using their substance of choice regardless of the risks of consequences.Over time, the continued abuse of a drug or alcohol can cause changes in the brain that diminish the addicted person’s self-control and ability to resist the urge to use.
Innovative treatment programs are available to help addicted employees recover, but a full recovery can be slow because the addict is likely to relapse a few times.
What are the signs of addiction?
People who are addicted to alcohol or prescription drugs often have higher-than-average absenteeism rates and exhibit changes in performance and behavior. Addicted employees are often late and call in with unplanned, last-minute absences. When they take sick days, their absences will typically fall on a Monday, Friday, or the day after payday.
Employees with addictions may be short-tempered, belligerent, or argumentative and miss deadlines, perform sloppy work, or fail to finish assignments. They may avoid contact with supervisors after lunch or fall asleep on the job.
Other signs include the smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, staggering, slurred speech, excessive laughter, inappropriate loudness, and tremors.
What should your managers and supervisors do?
First, your company should have a written policy about the use of alcohol or illicit drugs in the workplace. Make sure all employees sign an agreement that acknowledges they understand your company’s written substance abuse policies.
Train supervisors to look for signs of drug or alcohol abuse and document evidence that the employee on-the-job performance is slipping. Note the dates and times when work slippages, errors, or behavioral issues occurred.
Instead of trying to counsel employees on their own, supervisors should notify you (or your company’s Employee Assistance Program) about the performance issues they have documented and any indications that the performance problems are related to substance abuse.
Caution supervisors not to become enablers, by lending the employee money, covering up for the employee, or making excuses for the worker.
If the employee has been drunk or under the influence of drugs at work, you may need to hire a substance-abuse counselor to help to conduct a work-based intervention.
What if the addicted employee is a family member?
Dealing with an addicted family member in the workplace raises additional issues. A family member’s addiction to drugs or alcohol not only can threaten the stability of the family business, but also the stability of the family itself. If the addict is being groomed as a potential successor, the long-term consequences can be severe.
When a family member who works in the business has substance abuse problems, other members of the family should learn how to encourage the addict to seek help. Recovered addicts report that family support and encouragement were major factors in helping them seek treatment.
Consider including a clause in your Family Member Employment Policy that stipulates that anyone suffering from an addiction must seek treatment and show proof of successfully completing a treatment as a condition of employment.
In addition, you can include provisions in your estate planning documents to reduce the chances that a chemically dependent beneficiary will take control of inherited assets.
What happens when I sell the business?
When you are ready to sell the business, you may be asked to provide your substance abuse policy during the due diligence process. You may also be asked about how any incidents in the workplace were resolved.
Potential buyers understand that substance abuse problems occur in almost all workplaces, so they may regard efforts to proactively address the problem as a sign of a well-managed business.
Addiction Isn’t New
Remember that drug and alcohol abuse has been around for decades. Even Boomer-age employers like me can recall working alongside people who were stoned or drinking on the job when we held our first jobs.
But easier access to all types of alcohol, more potent marijuana, and Fetanyl-laced pills have upped the risks of “operating under the influence.”
Don’t wait for an accidental injury or overdose to occur at your workplace to discover that an employee has a problem with drugs or alcohol. Educate yourself and your leadership team about the best way to deal with the problem when it occurs.
RESOURCES
National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence: Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace
American Addiction Centers: The Prevalence of Substance Abuse in the Workplace
How to Deal with Addictions in the Family Business
Family Business Magazine: An Elephant in the Family Business: A Covert Addiction