An employee with a drug addiction can be a tricky situation to deal with. Drug addiction can lead to poor judgment, poor decision-making, and accidents. Drug addiction can also cause employees to not show up for work, take on new projects, or finish previously assigned projects.
It’s not always easy to tell when an employee has a drug addiction, though. They don’t have to tell an employer outright and could hide it for years.
Let’s dive deeper into the steps you should take to manage an employee with a drug addiction.
Have a discussion with the employee
If you suspect an employee has a drug addiction, pull them aside and have a private conversation about it. Discuss with them some of the signs you’ve been noticing in their recent behavior and performance problems.
Let the employee know you are trying to help them by getting to the bottom of their problems. Don’t outright accuse them of anything, and let them gradually open up to you. If they are hesitant, tell them about some of the consequences they might face if they don’t improve their work.
Help them get help
If your employee tells you about a drug addiction problem they have, you should help them get the resources they need.
You can offer them time off so they can spend time in recovery. You could help pay for them to go to a rehab center or with other medical expenses.
Communicate with other employees
When explaining an employees’ drug addiction with other employees, you shouldn’t outright state their condition unless allowed by the employee. If there’s an absence, you should communicate to your other employees it’s health-related.
Don’t make a big deal about anything either. It will lead other employees to suspect the worst. Instead, try to keep things as simple as possible and explain the employee will be gone for a while due to health reasons.
Monitor their progress
Make sure you keep in contact with the employee and let them know you’re here for any questions or concerns. You should also monitor their progress by checking in with how they’re doing after a few weeks.
If they’re struggling, talk to them about it and what you can do to help. If they aren’t improving or refuse to improve, your last resort might be to let them go.
Explain the conditions for working
You’ll want to ensure the employee knows the conditions about continuing to work for them. You should tell them they’re not allowed to come to work under the influence, as with any other employee.
You should still be accommodating to their needs, though. Make sure you continue to offer them breaks so they can get needed medical attention. You shouldn’t expect them to get better overnight. There will still be times where they may need to take a few days off for treatment or if they’re suffering from withdrawal.
Monitor closely after immediate return
Upon returning to the office, you should keep a close eye on the employee.
It’s not always easy to know when an employee is ready to return to work after leaving for addiction treatment. It’s generally recommended for employers to closely monitor employees for relapse for the first few months after their return.
If you do notice your employee relapsing, discuss it with them and remind them of your drug policy and what the consequences can be for violating it.
An employee’s drug addiction can be a complex problem to deal with, but it doesn’t have to be unbearable. You must address the issue quickly and professionally to avoid any bigger problems in the future. Work together with your employee to get them on track towards rehabilitation while still keeping their job. If they relapse, be sure to take appropriate action.
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