Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER March 21, 2016 16 FEATURES MENTAL HEALTH Addressing addictions Going beyond wellness programs, self-help resources can bring gains By Chris Dawson I n thinking about people with addiction and substance abuse problems, old stigmas can lead to images of individu- als so deep in their illnesses that they've lost their jobs, spiralled into an unseemly lifestyle and are consumed by the addiction. The reality is, of course, very much the reverse. e majority of people in Canada who struggle with addiction — about 77 per cent, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse — are employed and active in the workforce. But many also have an accom- panying mental health condition such as depression. And employ- ees with an addiction or substance misuse issue come with costly consequences. Employees suff ering from an addiction tend to function at about two-thirds of their capacity, according to the National Busi- ness Group on Health in Wash- ington, D.C., and are 3.5 times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident compared to those without an addiction. ey also report having been either absent, late or unproduc- tive more often. e additional cost of lost productivity is 20 to 25 per cent of direct costs (lost work time and benefi ts), according to Towers Watson. The cost of addiction in the workplace extends to the work environment and culture. More than being a distraction, aff ected employees can have a follow-on eff ect on total costs within an or- ganization. Colleagues and man- agers alike may be impacted as a result of the complexities and challenges of working with some- one in active addiction. With all of these costs adding up, many employers have intro- duced initiatives such as strict policies on substance abuse, well- ness programs aimed at recogniz- ing signs of dependency, and self- help resources for employees who feel they are losing control. Some also off er access to counselling services through an EAP program or extended health benefi t. Residential treatment But most employers stop short of funding residential treatment programs — and herein lies the real problem. In Canada, most residential addiction treatment is self-funded or only partially cov- ered by an employee benefi ts plan. An added challenge is publicly funded programs are diffi cult to access, with long waiting lists. Un- der these circumstances, the cycle of addiction tends to continue. Helping employees with addic- tion and substance abuse prob- lems to recover isn't just a nice thing to do — it makes good busi- ness sense. Funding treatment swiftly has been shown to reduce other medical benefi t costs. Psy- chology services, semi-private insurance benefi ts and employee assistance program (EAP) costs are all managed lower when a treatment program is funded and managed. Productivity is also greatly enhanced. Improvements were found in work-related absentee- ism (by 76 per cent), tardiness (91 per cent) and productivity (76 per cent), six months after completing residential addiction treatment, according to a 2014 study done in partnership with Bellwood Health Services. For an employee mak- ing an hourly wage of $26.10, this translates into savings of about $6,447 per year. Similarly, benefi ts could cost as little as $100 per employee per year, according to research by the Edgewood Health Network. Creative solutions As knowledge increases about the business benefi ts of treating addiction and substance abuse, some organizations are becom- ing creative about fi nding ways to fund treatment. One group representing a union of fi rst responders, for example, has developed a "treatment fund trust." Under this model, about fi ve cents per hour is set aside from each employee's pay. As the trust has grown, so too has sup- port throughout the organization, in particular from management and leadership — many of whom, in the past, have had to deal with troublesome, high-risk behav- iours associated with employee addictions — and even suicide. Taking that responsibility off their plate has mitigated follow- on trauma and cut back on many hours spent by senior leaders. Perhaps the best non-fi nancial benefi t is the signal it sends to em- ployees within the organization. Studies show employees who are provided with treatment experi- ence greater job satisfaction and feelings of loyalty. And you can't put a price on that. Chris Dawson is CEO of Edgewood Health Network in Toronto, which treats addictions and associated mental health conditions, offering workplace services from treatment to work reintegration through to preven- tion and wellness support. For more information, visit edgewoodhealth- network.com. 2016 HRPA MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL CONTEST Contest begins Jan 20, 2016. Renew your 2016 HRPA membership today for best odds: www.HRPA.ca/2016Renewal WIN to your choice of four fabulous destinations: featuring Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco or San Diego. RENEW EARLY TO ONE OF 18 TRIPS FOR 2 Plus a chance at our GRAND PRIZE: a 7 Night Hawaii Escape in MAUI!! Hundreds of additional prizes courtesy of HRPA's member savings partners

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