How to deal with employee
substance abuse
About one in 10 workers is affected by
substance abuse, and the tech industry isn't without issues in this area. Here
are some steps managers can take.
"If
you had told me 20 years ago that I was going struggle with cocaine
addiction, I would have laughed," said Charlotte, whose last name isn't
used, in an article on the website
for Alta Mira, a California-based addiction treatment facility. "My
idea of a coke addict was Kelly's mom on 90210, frantically snorting C in the
ladies bathroom before the big fashion show, all shoulder pads and leather
skirt. I was a mousy girl from Iowa, not exactly primed to take on a $200/day
habit."
Charlotte
had landed a job in the Silicon Valley that paid her more than both of her
parents made together. She got introduced to cocaine by a co-worker. The two of
them kept snorting at work, and before long, the habit was consuming most of
her income.
This quote
from David J. Linden, PhD, a neuroscience professor at Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine appears in a post on Alta Mira's website: "When we think of
the qualities we seek in visionary leaders, we think of intelligence,
creativity, wisdom and charisma, but also the drive to succeed, a hunger for
innovation, a willingness to challenge established ideas and practices. But in
fact, the psychological profile of a compelling leader [...] is also that of
the compulsive risk-taker, someone with a high degree of novelty-seeking
behavior. In short, what we seek in leaders is often the same kind of
personality type that is found in addicts, whether they are dependent on
gambling, alcohol, sex or drugs."
Hence, it is
not entirely surprising that substance abuse crops up in the tech workforce—and
it is likely that managers of tech functions and at tech companies see symptoms
of these behaviors. But then, what do they do about it?
The Society
for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that around 14 million people who
are employed either full- or part-time abuse alcohol or drugs, and that these
employees account for about 10% of the U.S. workforce. While substance abuse
has soared in the U.S. workforce, many managers and companies seem to feel that
dealing with this issue is the HR's responsibility.
But with so
much of the US workforce allegedly "under the influence," it is also
in the interest of managers to be more proactive about helping to ensure the
welfare of these affected employees, and of the staff members who work with and
around them.
Here are six
steps that managers can take:
Recognize
potential signs of substance abuse
These signs
include:
- Absenteeism, particularly absences without notification;
- Excessive use of sick days;
- Frequent disappearances from work;
- Unreliability in keeping appointments;
- Work performance that alters between high and
low periods of productivity;
- Increase in accidents on and off the job;
- Mistakes attributable to inattention, poor
judgment or bad decisions;
- Increases in time and effort for ordinary
tasks;
- Problems with interpersonal relations with
co-workers;
- Confusion, or difficulty concentrating;
- Progressive deterioration in personal appearance
and hygiene;
- Physical signs such as exhaustion,
hyperactivity, dilated pupils, slurred speech or an unsteady walk, etc.
·
Document complaints and concerns about the
employee's behavior
·
As
a manager, it is likely that you will not be the first one to observe changes
in an employee's behavior. Most likely, staff members who work directly with
the employee will be the first to know. If the problem is serious enough, they
will come to you and expect you to do something about it. Listen carefully,
take thorough notes, and let them know you will be looking into the situation.
·
Investigate
·
You
will want to personally observe the employee in question to see if you can
confirm the types of behaviors that others are raising concerns about. If you
observe these behaviors, you should document them. Also, this is the time to
invite another fellow manager to observe the employee, and to record his or her
observations.
·
Visit with HR
·
Most
IT and tech managers focus on their disciplines and projects. They are not
psychologists or human behavior specialists. Consequently, once you uncover a
potential employee substance abuse issue, it is time to visit with HR, which
specializes in people issues. HR can work with you to refresh on company policy
covering substance abuse, as well as on what the potential legal and people
issues are. They will likely recommend that you meet directly with the
employee. They will also likely have guidelines for the meeting that they will
want you to follow as you conduct it. Follow these guidelines to the letter.
·
Meet with the employee
·
Meeting
with an employee about substance abuse is a highly personal issue—and one that
is ideally handled on a private, one-to-one basis. Unfortunately, because of
the legalities that can be involved in dealing with substance abuse, employee
rights and fair treatment in the workplace, you cannot afford to put yourself
at risk as a manager flying solo in a meeting like this. Your HR department
will likely be on top of this. They will recommend that an HR manager accompany
you to the meeting so there is a second person who can be a witness to what is
said by all parties as the meeting is conducted. The goal should to confront
the employee directly with what has been observed at work. This is also a time
when the employee can fill you in on what has been going on.
·
Take action
·
Some
companies have policies that enable them to conduct drug testing when an
employee is suspected of substance abuse. Employees sign consent agreements for
drug testing when they start their employment with the company.
·
However,
the longer term and more important issue for companies and managers is to help
employees address their substance abuse issues, whether it is through
counseling, leave of absence programs that allow them to get more focused help,
and even workforce reintegration programs that enable them to re-establish
themselves with the company once their problems are under control. Managers
play a critical role in reintegration efforts, because it is their job to
ensure that these employees as they re-enter the workforce are not stigmatized
by other staff who may have been privy to internal rumor mills.
·
In
2016, the National
Institute on Drug Abuse put the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit
drugs at over $700 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work
productivity and health care. No one manager can solve this enormous problem in
his or her domain, but if more managers can intelligently confront the problem
when they first see it surface in staff members, relief can be brought not only
to substance abusers but to those around them who are deeply concerned.
