As the pandemic persists, substance use is on the rise, with one study reporting a 60 percent increase in drinking due to stress. Substance use costs employers over $400 billion each year and takes a heavy toll on the workplace.
Addiction is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw: it’s a complex disease that affects the brain and body. Thankfully, addiction treatment works, reducing health and social costs by far more than the cost of the treatment itself. Managers are ideally positioned to identify employees who may be struggling and encourage them to seek professional support.