When people have addictions to psychoactive substances, the effects ripple out across every aspect of their lives. It’s not a disease that is simply the action of taking the substance. Sadly, soon after the desired effects initially sought have disintegrated, the negative consequences begin.
Addiction hits every part of society. From families to communities to entire countries. It’s an illness that every person comes into contact with at some point. In situations within the community, this can sometimes feel difficult to tackle, especially in the workplace.
A call to OK Rehab on 0800 326 5559 can offer guidance on how to manage issues in the workplace related to a member of staff who has an addiction.
What are the signs that a member of staff has an addiction?
For people who haven’t had much contact with drugs and alcohol, it can be difficult to identify whether someone you spend time with is using substances in an unhealthy way. As an employer, there is a duty of care to the member of staff who might be suffering from this illness.
Signs that the person might be experiencing issues with drugs and alcohol include the following:
- Being late for work
- Taking days off work
- Looking generally unwell
- Lack of attention and focus
- Reduced work productivity
- Lack of self-care
It’s important that you have reasons to justify a conversation with your employee. You need to be able to back up what you’re saying when you raise your concerns.
There is also the matter of where the person is themselves about how they feel about the addiction. Many people will live in denial of the problem for a very long time before they’re ready to admit this. It’s useful to get advice on how to approach this situation.
How to approach your employee about their drug or alcohol problem
Many people with addictions end up living very isolated lives. This means that when you speak to them, you might be the first person to have noticed the issue and to raise it.
There are a few techniques you can use when you bring the issue up:
- Speak with your employee somewhere quiet where no one will overhear. The setting should be relaxed and comfortable.
- Explain to the person what your concerns are and what has led you to think this.
- Be open, empathic, and compassionate. Addiction is a disease. Despite this, it’s often judged very harshly. When you speak to your member of staff, plan what you’re going to say and be ready to offer helpful information. Signposting to outside organisations is very useful.
- Be ready for your employee’s reaction. They might deny or admit the issue. Be ready to listen. The person might become angry or upset. In this case, remain calm and make it clear that you’re there to try and support them in the workplace.
- If your member of staff admits to having an addiction, your knee-jerk reaction might be to ask them to leave the workplace. This can be incredibly unhelpful. It’s better to ask them what you can do to support them while ensuring the safety of all people in the working environment.
As the employer, it’s important to consider adjustments that can be made. This might be in terms of supporting them to sign off work for some time through the GP, or you might refer them to local drug and alcohol rehab services in Uxbridge.
OK Rehab can provide you with all the information you need about this.
How to complete a referral for a member of staff
Sometimes it can be very difficult for a person to take that first step towards recovery. Speaking with professionals is often incredibly daunting. This is especially the case where people have been hiding their addiction for a long time or where people find it challenging to share their emotions.
As an employer, you’re able to complete a referral for the person you’re supporting if they want this and permit you to do so. A referral is gained through contacting us, the OK Rehab team. Our team of staff handles thousands of referrals every year throughout the UK. It’s our job to find out enough information about the person to be able to match them to the most suitable rehab programme.
When you call us, we’ll ask you a series of questions to find out more about the employee. Sometimes it can help to have the employee with you when the phone call is made, otherwise, we will want to know about the behaviour changes and things you have noticed that suggest the person is ill.
Once we have enough information, we’ll contact the person directly and lead them through a conversation to find out more about their lifestyle, addiction, and recovery goals. At this point, we would want to support them to access a rehab programme in the Uxbridge area.
What do rehab programmes offer?
There are many types of treatments and what your employee receives will be dependent on the substance used, severity of use, and their recovery goals. The following treatments are, however, common within private clinics which offer the highest standard of support:
- A medically supervised detox
- Psychological therapies
- Alternative therapies
- Group work
- A twelve-month aftercare programme where an inpatient stay has taken place
What can OK Rehab offer employers?
Our team is here to provide advice on how to manage circumstances in the workplace. It can be difficult to know how to support the person in readjusting back into the workplace, especially if they’ve stayed for some time at a rehab clinic.
When you have a team of people around the person who has an addiction, it can be helpful to communicate with other team members. This must be handled sensitively and respectfully.
The OK Rehab team can support you by offering resources and training on how to manage this situation effectively.
To find out more about the rehab programme and how to support your employee, call OK Rehab on 0800 326 5559 today.
