Why should you provide addiction treatment for an employee?
If you are an HR professional or have any input in the welfare of the people in your business, here are two facts to be aware of:
- A YouGov poll+ indicates a 30% increase in ‘problem drinking’ in just 12 months
- Alcohol related deaths are at a 20 year high, whilst drug related deaths are at a 25 year high*…
…and that’s before the full impact of the pandemic is felt.
As a responsible employer who aims to keep good people, what can you do to help an employee who is struggling with an addiction? And why should you do it?
3 reasons to provide addiction treatment for an employee;
It’s a better use of your time and money
Three points here:
- It’s cheaper to get treatment for an employee than it is to lose them, then recruit and train a replacement.
- An employee who is underperforming due to an addiction can cost you time and money if unaddressed.
- Your time and money is spent more wisely investing in someone you know (and who knows you) rather than having an employment gap for an undefined period of time and then having to invest yet more time to get them up to speed.
It says a lot about you as an employer
Not that you’d shout about individual cases but knowing the lengths you are prepared to go to help them must be a motivator and an incentive for staff.
Addiction is officially classified as an illness, with the NHS website saying ‘If you need treatment for drug addiction, you’re entitled to NHS care in the same way as anyone else who has a health problem’. So if you offer any other health and wellbeing services to your teams, should you not also offer addiction treatment for those that need it?
It’s the next big thing to impact the world of work
Addiction is increasing and therefore it’s become increasingly likely that someone you employ will need help.
Numerous surveys and reports are showing that the Covid pandemic has seen a large increase in the misuse of drink and drugs. For example, in February 2020 the NSPCC reported a 70% increase in the number of children needing help due to their parent’s addictions and misuse×. Similarly, this week the BBC reported an increase in depression rates directly linked to increased alcohol consumption during lockdowns^.
With addiction becoming more and more prevalent, it is a potential health crisis that will have an impact on your business.
Get in touch for advice guidance and details of our Outpatient Detox it’s discreet and fits around the individual’s life. There’s no need to ‘check in to rehab’ and turn their life on its head, the treatment is flexible and is designed to fit around their life.
One of our friendly and experienced advisors is looking forward to speaking with you.
*Office of National Statistics
×https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56087830
^https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-58259187
+ https://yougov.co.uk/topics/food/explore/issue/Drinking_Alcohol
