The opioid epidemic is devastating many parts of our country.
It is a problem across society in general and a big safety and HR problem in our organizations. In 2017, it is estimated that there were about 72,000 overdoses across the country. About 70% of businesses report that they have been impacted by this terrible problem. The National Safety Council reports that there are problems with poor prescription drug use, higher absenteeism, injuries, and accidents resulting from overdoses.
In 2016, at least 217 people died from drug overdose at work. This is a 32% higher level than in 2015. No business or industry is free of this tragedy. The National Safety Council survey showed that fewer than 20% of the 500 employers they surveyed felt that they were prepared to deal with the problem. Many other managers are in denial about the problem in their workplaces so they are totally off base.
While many of the large companies have strong drug treatment and rehab programs and spend as much as $2.6 billion to help their people, there are things that all of us can and should do.
What can you do in your own workplaces to address this problem and help the people?
The first step is to acknowledge that you may have a problem and you need to find out what is going on.
Next, you need to reach out to the people with respect and offer to help them. Many people with drug problems believe no one cares, so reaching out to help would be a step forward.
When we have workplaces where respect and caring are the norm, reaching out to people when they seem to be in need can be done as a routine experience. But, in too many workplaces, people are not treated with respect and this leads to a lot of harassment and bullying. In this situation, people feel more alienated and alone so the drug problems get worse and worse. A big step you can do to address this problem is to work to build a respectful workplace. Eliminate the disrespect, harassment, bullying, and other negative behaviors that are infecting your workplaces.
Go into the workplace, sit down with the people, talk together about the drug problem, and ask them to help to look out for those who appear to be unfit for the work, sleepy or drowsy, or careless. This is caring and not tattle-telling. If we care, then we reach out. Ensuring no one gets hurt by caringly addressing a person’s inability to function/do their work safely…impacts all of us…not just the individual.
EAP’s (Employee Assistance Program) are an essential connection for providing help to employees needing help and employers who are seeking ways to have safer workplaces. There are many services and organizations in your local communities who can also provide expert help and advice for your people who are having drug problems so search them out and ask for their help. None of us need to feel like we are helpless bystanders in the face of this devastating drug problem.
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