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Helping your co-worker admit s/he has an addiction.
Each year U.S. business and industry loses millions of dollars
as a result of alcohol- and drug-addicted employees. Most people
with an addiction problem refuse to admit to their employees —
and even to themselves — that they need professional help.
If you have evidence that an employee is abusing alcohol or drugs,
here are some tips for confronting him or her a constructive manner:
1) Interventions are best handled sooner rather than later. Don’t
wait until you are on the verge of firing the person before you
choose to confront the addiction.
2) Confront in a caring, but firm way. Reassure the employee
that you like him, value his work, and want him to continue with
your company. Reinforce his history of success and productivity.
But be firm: describe the specific counterproductive behaviors
that you (and co-workers) observe, which indicate that the employee
may have an addiction.
3) Do not expect the employee to make a confession. In fact,
a confession may not occur. Tell the employee that you will hold
her job open, provided that she takes a specific number of steps
(attend AA meetings, participate in an Intensive Outpatient Program,
completion of a 30-day treatment program).
4) If the addicted individual denies that there is a problem,
do not get into an argument. Simply assure the person that you
sincerely intend to continue to his/her employment, but insist
the person receives treatment and allows you to communicate with
the treatment facility. Let the person know that you will help
him/her reintegrate back into the company after sobriety or abstinence
is achieved.
5) Encourage the employee to have family members participate
in the treatment. Research shows that this improves outcome.
6) Avoid blame. Try to help the addict feel that addiction is
more common than people realize, and that with professional help,
recovery is quite possible.
This tip is sent to you courtesy of Vincent
J. Morello, Ph.D. of the Caron Foundation and the Pennsylvania
Psychological Association, sponsor of the Psychologically
Healthy Workplace Award.
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