A business with substance

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By Geoff Norbury, Business Director, Newgate 180

I received a call the other day from a Human Resource manager who was facing the distressing situation of terminating an employee suspected of having a substance abuse problem. “We are a reputable employer and have given this person several warnings to improve their performance,” she informed me. “Is there anything we could have done differently to avoid this unfortunate dilemma?”

This has become a common enquiry of us here at Newgate 180. Alcohol and drug use as well as gambling are very much a part of the fabric of society unfortunately for about ten percent they bring serious problems to the workplace, family life and society as a whole.

We are all aware of the impact that substance abuse has on a person’s life. Most of us have witnessed it disable someone we know. We tend to pay less attention to how it affects our employees and their co-workers. Unfortunately we do not to see it until it reaches the crisis point where drastic measures and consequences are being called for.

One of the main reasons this happens so frequently is substance abuse is quite different than most other health issues. Normally, we expect our employees to manage their own health concerns and avail themselves of the services that are available to them through their benefits package, Employee Assistance Program or the public health care system.

Unfortunately, an individual who is developing a substance abuse problem does the opposite. They try desperately to hide the problem from themselves as well as others at work and at home. It’s called the fear factor - our distressed employee is living and working in fear. Fear of not being able to cope without using the substance that has become a crutch. Fear that people will think he or she is a failure. Finally, fear that acknowledging such a problem will bring job sanctions perhaps dismissal.

There are people in the workplace that think employees who fail to utilize the health care services are the authors of their own misfortune and are therefore not the employer’s concern. However, this is not entirely accurate as these people are causing their employers substantial financial losses. Others tend to cover up for the afflicted employee in many ways enabling a continuance.

Substance abuse is a progressively disabling chronic condition which means unless treated it gets worse over time. Consequently, the affected employee becomes increasingly unable to meet the quality and performance expectations of the job.

The pattern of behaviours is recognizable. It starts with tardiness, being late for work and progresses to consistent absenteeism culminating with long-term disability. This is a very costly and yet avoidable journey. The Canadian Centre for Addictions and Mental Health reports that alcohol and drug abuse alone cost Canadian businesses over five billion dollars annually in lost productivity due to absenteeism, accidents, disciplinary actions, and increased health costs. Conjointly, cost recovery arguments are indisputable.

So what can be done to help reduce these costs? Like any other health concern, early recognition and action correlates with positive outcomes. The key is proactivity.

Front line managers and union stewards are usually the first point of contact with a distressed employee. They witness the deterioration in performance as well as the personal indicators of the illness, and they experience the daily frustrations of dealing with these employees who are becoming increasingly disabled both personally and professionally.

The key is to design and implement an ethical substance abuse policy that works for everyone. It must be concise, communicated and understood throughout the company. Furthermore, it must be endorsed and encouraged from the boardroom to the shop floor. With policy come awareness and education leading to treatment for those in need and ultimately leading to large gains on economic and human resource profitability.

Some interesting statistics further demonstrate the need for immediate attention. For example, heavy drinking is categorized as five or more drinks, five or more times over a thirty-day period. Since 1997 there is a two hundred percent increase in heavy drinking in males between the ages of 18 and 49. Furthermore 10 percent of our adult population admit to heavy alcohol use. It is estimated that two percent of the Canadian workforce is in crisis and in need of immediate assistance.

Many companies have decided the time is ripe to augment Human Resource, Employee Assistance, and Occupational Health & Safety programs with expert service providers from the addictions industry. It is this understanding and commitment to a healthy workplace that will help companies gain competitive advantage by increasing their value proposition to all stakeholders.

Geoff Norbury joined Newgate 180 as Director of Business Development in June 2003. Prior to that he held the position of Director of Marketing for Mitel and Zarlink Semiconductor from 1997 until 2002. In his career spanning more than two decades he has been involved as a volunteer in a variety of social and legal policy areas including crime prevention, public housing, alcohol awareness, schizophrenia and amateur sport. Geoff is a graduate of Blackpool Collegiate with a diploma in Industrial Marketing and Communication Arts.