When managing or overseeing a team in your workplace, it might be difficult to imagine that one or more of your employees might suffer from a Substance Use Disorder (SUD). The fact is that in 2023, Canadian employers lost a total of $22 Billion in lost productivity due to Substance Use Disorders (CCSA).
HR Tip: A SUD diagnosis falls under Human Rights protection, so your organization needs to have clear guidelines around employee expectations. As such, ensure your policies regarding short-term disability leave and alcohol/drug use are clear and up to date.
Prevalence of a Substance Use Disorder
Substance Use Disorders are more common than you might think as Statistics Canada reports that 22% of Canadians meet the diagnosis for a Substance Use Disorder in their lifetime. Especially with the prevalence of recreational substance use across the country, with 76% and 21% of Canadians consuming alcohol and cannabis respectively in 2019, it can be challenging to determine what constitutes low-risk vs. high-risk substance use.
Teams often consist of diverse individuals with varying backgrounds, risk factors, and mental health conditions, so it’s important to observe any changes in behaviour, such as:
- Frequent absences
- Tardiness
- Diminished productivity
- Appearing unwell or dishevelled
Once you perceive that an uncharacteristic behaviour could be related to substance use, it’s better to avoid relying on subjective opinions, and instead use a diagnostic tool to evaluate how substance use might be negatively affecting your employee’s work and home life.
Using a Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) assessment
Before an incident occurs in your workplace, you can be proactive about addressing employee substance use by equipping yourself with an SAE assessment, designed by mental health experts to accurately diagnose a Substance Use Disorder. As you search for a provider of an SAE assessment, ensure the following conditions are met:
- Administered via a structured clinical interview
- Incorporates validity techniques and multiple assessment instruments
- Identifies concurrent mental health conditions
- Results are reviewed by a psychologist
- Court-defensible report with “fit-to-work” clearance
By adhering to these expectations, you can rest assured knowing that your employee’s unique situation will be treated objectively and the results of their assessment will be reliable.
Recommending treatment for a Substance Use Disorder
If the SAE assessment results indicate that your employee is in fact struggling with a Substance Use Disorder, you still might not know how to broach the subject of seeking treatment. Employees may have reservations about seeking treatment due to the perceived stigma associated with substance use, which is why having that conversation should be carried out with respect and understanding. Communicate a compassionate, rather than accusatory, tone when discussing options for treatment. This will help your employees feel supported instead of disciplined. Also, clearly lay out a plan for the employee’s absence and subsequent safe return to work once treatment is completed so that there is no ambiguity concerning the next steps.
Ultimately, it is your employee’s decision as to whether they accept treatment or not. Be prepared to have a follow-up conversation about their future with the company if they do not participate in the recommended treatment plan. Hopefully, this will not be the case and you will be able to support your employees as they improve their mental health and return to being healthy and productive members of your organization.
Learn more about assessing, supporting, and treating an employee struggling with substance use by visiting: https://homewoodpathfinder.com/mental-health/