Workplace Initiative

Addiction affects all walks of life, from the line worker to the teacher to the CEO. In fact, 75 percent of those struggling with addiction are employed.

But far too often, these problems remain hidden. Stigma, fear and misunderstanding are often big reasons. So employees suffer in silence and employers pay in lost productivity and higher healthcare costs.

We’re working to change that. At the center of the Face It TOGETHER® model is an innovative employer initiative that brings addiction into the open by extending recovery support into the workplace. Participants represent a wide range of industries, including: healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, social services and government, among others.

Investing in recovery, reaping rewards
These employers share a common belief that substance use disorder is a chronic disease. They’ve considered the costs of doing nothing, and the benefits of getting involved.

With the help of their health plan and providers, they commit to integrating addiction into their existing chronic disease management or employee wellness programs to promote understanding, acceptance and support of the journey of recovery.

Addiction among workers and their families are tremendously costly for employers because they directly contribute to higher healthcare expenses, lost productivity and increased absenteeism, disability and turnover. But these costs can be drastically cut by workplace programs and practices that help reduce alcohol and other drug problems, promote education and wellness and support early intervention. 

A response to federal health reform
In addition to delivering significant cost savings, our workplace initiatives also provide employers with a strategic response to federal healthcare reform. Healthcare and parity reform are putting more demands on employers to better manage healthcare costs, particularly related to chronic disease. The workplace initiative’s emphasis on encouraging and supporting the health of employees – and their families – helps employers respond to and further the goals of reform, providing another incentive for participation.

The goals of our Workplace Initiative include:

• Change attitudes and reduce stigma around addiction so more employees feel comfortable asking for help;

• Provide worksite education to improve awareness of recovery benefits for employees and their families;

• Promote a culture of recovery by demonstrating a top-down approach to acceptance of and support for employees with addiction; and

• Improve knowledge of addiction and recovery, including community resources, among enterprise leadership and employees.

Program activities include:

• A template of customizable educational activities that can be tailored based on the organization’s needs, resources and labor force;

• Monthly educational meetings with human resource executives from participating companies, including on-site tours and seminars to learn about community resources.

• Training of worksite wellness coaches on addiction and recovery issues;

• Development of a recovery peer coach program to connect colleagues in the workplace;

• A recovery speakers bureau of trained presenters—persons in recovery—to help de-stigmatize the disease and improve awareness; and

• Dissemination of printed materials and other resources.

Employer partners in the initiative have also defined clear outcome measures for the program to demonstrate cost-effectiveness and return on investment.