CIPD: 21% UK firms fail to support staff with drug/alcohol issues

The UK’s professional body for HR and people development, the CIPD, has today called on UK employers to provide proactive employee support, especially for drugs and alcohol misuse amid the pandemic. According to the CIPD’s latest research, one in five (21%) employers are failing to offer proactive support to workers on issues of drugs and alcohol misuse. 

Its latest research, Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work, highlights the need for employers to take a preventative and proactive approach to drug and alcohol misuse. The report reveals that few employers currently train managers about their organisation’s drug and alcohol policies and procedures – just 12% provide one-off training for line managers and only a quarter (25%) provide regular refresher training. Just a quarter (26%) train managers to recognise the symptoms of drug and alcohol problems, or improving management practice more generally, for example, how to manage and support employees (32%). 

This is despite investments in line manager capability being rated highly in terms of effectiveness in helping to prevent drug and alcohol misuse, according to the CIPD. The findings are of concern as misuse is an issue many people managers may need to be prepared to deal with at some point. Just over a third (35%) of employers have disciplined someone in the past two years for alcohol misuse and just over a quarter (26%) for drug misuse. 

IMPACT OF HIGH WORKLOADS

Investment in training and proactive support through services such as Employee Assistance Programmes or access to occupational health is particularly important at a time when 27% of employees said their “alcohol consumption has increased as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions”.

Those reporting a high workload were significantly more likely to say their alcohol consumption had increased (31%) compared to those saying their workload was about right (24%). More than a third (37%) of those who had seen a change in their caring responsibilities were significantly more likely to say their alcohol consumption had increased compared to those who hadn’t (25%).  

DRUG & ALCOHOL MISUSE

“The Coronavirus pandemic and the current period of economic uncertainty could make people feel more anxious or vulnerable, which has led to concern about whether people may be more likely to use alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism,” pointed out Dr Jill Miller, Senior Policy Adviser at the CIPD. With around a quarter of people saying that their alcohol consumption has increased over the last few months, this has the potential to negatively impact on their work.”  

Miller believes that it’s vitally important for organisations to recognise drug or alcohol misuse as a health, safety and employee wellbeing concern, not just a disciplinary issue. “Support for people struggling with alcohol and drug misuse must be part of an organisations’ wellbeing offering,” stated Miller. “By having a clear policy in place that sets expectations about behaviour and prioritises genuine support for wellbeing, employers can create a safe environment where people feel able to ask for support. This could encourage people to seek help before a concern becomes a real issue.”

KEY FINDINGS

Other key findings from the CIPD’s survey of 787 HR decision makers revealed that:

• Only 27% of organisations provide information for employees about how to disclose a problem with alcohol or drugs.
• Around two thirds (69%) of organisations said the most recent employee they had referred to treatment or rehabilitation support had remained working for the organisation. This suggests that employer support can have positive long-term impacts for people’s careers and for employers in retaining their staff.
• A significant number of organisations don’t provide paid or unpaid time off for treatment – 61% don’t provide paid time off for treatment to support staff with alcohol misuse, and 65% don’t provide it for treatment for drug misuse. Around 49% don’t provide unpaid time off for treatment for alcohol misuse and 50% don’t provide unpaid time off for drug misuse.

GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

The CIPD has also launched new guides for employers and line managers on managing drug and alcohol misuse at work and how to proactively support employees. The guide offers advice on the key areas employers should consider when planning their approach to the management and prevention of drug and alcohol issues.

The CIPD recommends that employers and managers offer adequate support through the following actions.

Developing clear and consistent policies and processes:

• Drug/alcohol policy should set out clear expectations of staff behaviour and the consequences of not meeting these expectations. 
  
  
• Clarify the process for employees disclosing their own problem and for those raising a concern about a colleague. 
  
  
• Outline any employee assistance programmes or other sources of support, and how to access these.

Building a supportive culture:

• Take a thorough approach to employee health and wellbeing, that includes support around drug and alcohol misuse, to protect both employees and the organisation. 
  
  
• Develop a supportive culture that clearly and regularly communicates the support on offer for employees with drug or alcohol problems, with the aim of dealing with issues before they become disciplinary issues. 
  
  
• Remind employees of the company’s drug and alcohol misuse policies prior to company social events involving alcohol.

Ensuring that your policies align with your organisational culture:

• Drug and alcohol policies should set out aims for the corporate culture and behaviours to support this. Cover expectations around things like entertaining clients, working hours and social events. 
  
  
• Ensure that messages are consistent with the business environment and any legal obligations around any safety critical services you provide. 
  
  
• If your organisation has business locations outside the UK, ensure that drug and alcohol policies are adapted according to advice from experts in those locations.

Check out the full CIPD guides on how to manage drug and alcohol misuse at work and how to proactively support employees here.