Addressing addiction at work is a sensitive matter. On one hand, employers bear the obligation to intervene and ensure a safe work environment. But on the other hand, there’s often a lack of training around what to do when an employee is struggling.
We teach managers team building and conflict resolution skills, but rarely provide guidance on supporting employees with addiction challenges, leaving them (and those in other leadership roles) to figure it out on their own.
Because of this, mistakes are common and many situations escalate unnecessarily, putting management, staff, and bystanders at risk.
Are you an employer concerned about managing addiction in the workplace? Are you a supervisor, team lead, or authority figure who feels ill-equipped to handle addiction at work? You’re not alone—and this article is for you.
Keep reading to learn how to confidently handle addiction-related matters.
5 Ways Managers Mishandle Addiction in the Workplace
It’s difficult to avoid missteps when you haven’t been taught what they are. These are the most common mistakes managers make:
1. Berating or Blaming the Employee
It’s important to remember that addiction is a disease. You wouldn’t speak harshly to an employee struggling with heart disease or asthma, so take the same approach with substance use disorders.
Remember, addiction changes the brain’s reward system and has real, measurable effects on decision-making, self-control, and impulse regulation. It isn’t a “bad habit” or a weakness of character—it’s a medical condition that requires clinical treatment and on-going support.
2. Making Medical Judgements
Employers should never overstep their role. Doctors, nurses, and mental health professionals are trained to assess the severity of an addiction, supervise the detox process, and prevent complications. It’s their professional judgment that should guide next steps.
Avoid making any medical determinations, including:
- How serious the addiction is
- What medications might help with cravings
- Whether therapy or mental health support is needed
- If supervised detox is necessary
- Appropriate therapeutic approaches (CBT, counseling, group therapy)
3. Confronting the Employee in Front of Others
You never want to compromise confidentiality when addressing addiction at work. Calling an employee out in public not only goes against provincial and federal privacy laws—which state employees have the right to keep their personal health information confidential—but it reinforces stigma around addiction, making the individual less likely to seek help.
4. Making Threats
Employers may resort to making threats in an attempt to pressure the individual to “clean up their act,” mistakenly believing this will motivate change. Unfortunately, this approach ignores that addiction is a medical condition and underestimates how hard recovery can be.
You should never threaten to:
- Fire, demote, or suspend the employee
- Involve law enforcement or take legal action
- Reduce hours or pay
- Withhold a positive reference in the future
- Subject the employee to frequent or random drug tests
5. Failing to Follow Procedure
Employers have both a legal and moral obligation to follow procedure when dealing with addiction in the workplace. If they don’t follow the right steps, they may accidentally treat the employee unfairly or discriminate without meaning to. Plus, skipping procedures can leave companies open to lawsuits, complaints, or penalties.
What to Do When You Suspect Employee Substance Abuse
1. Keep a Record of Events
Document any warning signs or problematic behaviors. Remember, stick to specific observations—like what was seen or heard, when it happened, and any direct impact on work performance or safety. Never include opinions, hearsay, or details that can not be confirmed by eye witnesses, attendance logs, lawfully-obtained video recordings, etc.
2. Consult HR or Seek Legal Counsel
Before you address an employee about addiction, it’s best to check in with HR or legal experts. They can help you respect privacy laws, avoid discrimination, and follow company policies, so the situation is handled fairly and your company remains protected.
3. Approach the Employee With Empathy and Neutrality
Your words and actions matter when speaking to someone struggling with addiction. They may already feel shame or hopelessness, so avoid adding to that weight. Instead, approach them with compassion, seeing them as a whole person—not just their addiction.
To keep the conversation constructive, focus on facts rather than emotions. This helps prevent tension from escalating.
Use specific examples like:
- “I’ve noticed you’ve been late for work five times in the last two weeks.”
- “You smelled of alcohol when you arrived this morning.”
- “There have been two incidents where you’ve had altercations with coworkers.”
The more grounded you are in the conversation, and the more you remind them you care, the more likely it is that your message will land positively.
4. Maintain Confidentiality At All Times
Maintaining confidentiality goes beyond holding conversations in private. Avoid including personal details in casual emails or messages, and use encrypted or HR-approved systems for sensitive information. Finally, share details only with those who truly need to know, like HR, legal, or relevant managers responsible for taking appropriate action.
5. Offer Support and Set Clear Expectations
Being empathetic in conversations with an addict doesn’t mean you can’t establish firm boundaries. It’s okay to let the employee know what will and will not be acceptable moving forward, as long as the emphasis is on getting them help.
You can say things like:
- “The use of alcohol or drugs during work hours is strictly prohibited. Because you’ve smelled like alcohol at work and missed several days without proper notice, we’re giving you a written warning. If it happens again, we may have to suspend you. Would it help to talk about what you’re going through?”
- “You didn’t pass your drug test, and I’m worried about you. We have to suspend you for now while we figure things out. If you decide to get into a treatment program, we’ll do what we can to help you get back to work. That’s what we want. But if you don’t, we may have to take further steps, including possibly letting you go.”
- “We know things have been really tough since your wife passed, and we don’t want to lose you during such a hard time. But we’ve had a few people say you seemed intoxicated at work, which is serious. Are you open to getting help? If you are, we’ll do our best to keep your job safe. If not, we’ll have to suspend you and start an investigation, which might lead to termination.”
More Ways to Support Employees With Addiction
- Normalize seeking help. Take steps to reduce stigma in the workplace, like placing addiction awareness materials in employee break rooms, training managers to recognize the signs of addiction, and celebrating employee recovery milestones.
- Promote peer support. Build a culture of accountability by starting a company sobriety club. It makes employees feel less alone, encourages continued recovery, and ensures there are social events that don’t involve alcohol.
- Set return-to-work plans for after treatment. All employers in Canada, including those here in Alberta, have a duty to accommodate employees in returning to work if the person has completed treatment. Be sure you understand their needs and limitations before reintegrating them into the workplace, and build a personalized plan that makes sense for all parties.
- Prepare for setbacks. Unfortunately, relapse is part of the recovery journey, and may happen even after a person has successfully completed treatment. This is particularly true for employees in high-stress work environments, like the military, police departments, or in the trades. It’s always best to have protocols in place that you can rely on if relapse occurs.
- Check in consistently. Follow-up is a key part of maintaining a recovery-friendly workplace. Managers should touch base with recovering employees regularly to acknowledge progress, discuss any challenges, and to proactively offer support.
Closing Thoughts
Addiction awareness for managers should be part of regular training—not something that’s added only after performance issues arise. After all, the more equipped managers are to recognize potential substance abuse, respond confidently, and offer support, the more they can handle situations fairly, effectively, and in line with applicable laws.
Our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training teaches managers exactly how to support someone facing a mental health challenge or substance use crisis.
Helpful Resources
Overcoming employee substance abuse requires joining forces with healthcare professionals, licensed mental health specialists, and community support services.
These resources are available to support you:
1. Alberta Health Services “It’s Our Business” (IOB) Manual
The It’s Our Business Manual contains information, tools, tips and strategies
about how employers can better manage mental health and addiction in the workplace. It’s a comprehensive document covering everything from warning signs to relapse prevention.
2. Access 24/7
Access 24/7 is available for adults in Edmonton who may need mental health or addiction support. Run by Alberta Health Services (AHS), it’s a one-stop care facility offering both phone and in-person assistance.
3. Recovery Access Alberta
Recovery Access Alberta is an online directory designed to help Albertans find addiction and recovery services that match their individual needs. It’s a province-wide tool that connects people with licensed addiction services and other supports like detox, harm reduction, peer groups, and recovery housing.
4. Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline
The AHS Addiction Helpline is a toll free number providing support for a range of concerns, including mental health, crisis intervention, and substance abuse. It’s available 24/7 to all Albertans. Dial 1-866-332-2322.
5. Text4Hope – Alberta Health Services
Employees looking for extra support with addiction recovery can get daily encouraging text messages by texting ADDICTIONSUPPORT to 393939. These messages are based on proven CBT techniques that help manage mental health and substance use challenges.
6. 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Nationwide)
If an employee is dealing with overwhelming distress related to or caused by an addiction, encourage them to dial 988. A trained responder will listen to their situation, provide emotional support, and connect them with local resources and referrals.