Things Your Employees In Substance Use Recovery Want You to Know
“Treating” their employees sometimes means providing alcohol at these gatherings. After all, alcohol is a more expensive offering that many people recognize and appreciate. Having said that, making alcohol available at these gatherings can present unexpected challenges for your employees who are in recovery. After 7 years of working in drug and alcohol treatment and years of providing therapy to professionals in recovery, here are some things for companies to know as they plan their company’s events.
You have employees in recovery even if you don’t know that you have employees in recovery.
When a company’s celebrations feature alcohol or are located in venues known for alcohol, this creates a lot of stress for people who are trying really hard to maintain their sobriety. Being around alcohol can be a trigger, so employees are left with a big decision—to attend the celebratory work event or stay home.
Employees in recovery worry how it will look if they don’t attend company events where alcohol will be present.
Individuals in recovery work very hard to protect their recovery, and this sometimes means making the decision to not attend events that will trigger them or put them in a particularly difficult situation. Even though an employee’s reason for not attending might be a good one, there’s still concern about how they will be viewed if they don’t attend. Will they look like they’re not a team player? Like they’re not sociable? Will they experience pressure to attend?
Employees in recovery do not want to share about their recovery at work.
Because of the pressure to attend these work events, employees sometimes question whether or not they should disclose their recovery status to the HR department, so that their reasons for not attending are understood. At the end of the day, however, many of the people I work with don’t actually want to share that information. What they want is to maintain their recovery and keep that part of their personal lives to themselves. They don’t want to feel like they’re not meeting an expectation when they opt out of an event that involves alcohol.
Employees in recovery worry about how they will answer coworkers’ questions about why they’re not drinking at these events.
People in recovery often anticipate being asked why they’re not drinking, so they find themselves preparing a response that feels comfortable to them. Sharing that they’re in recovery isn’t on the top of responses they’d usually like to share with people in their workplace, so they work really hard to have a solid and ready response to this question.
Employees in recovery often feel stressed about getting through their work event without drinking.
Annual holiday parties and barbecues are intended to be fun and celebratory events with staff. They show appreciation for the work that they do, and yet, people in recovery often feel very stressed about going to events with alcohol. They have to think about the coping strategies they will utilize to get through the event without drinking, unlike other employees who might truly be able to attend the event and relax as intended.
If you are interested in creating a work environment that is considerate of employees who may be in recovery, these are some things to consider. Remember: even if you don’t know of any employees who are in recovery, doesn’t mean they don’t exist at your company. Creating safe spaces and alcohol-free events can reduce a lot of stress and allow employees in recovery to relax and enjoy the celebration just like everyone else.
Workplace Wellness Programs
LifeSpring Counseling Services offers Workplace Wellness Services that include educational workshops, experiential workshops, and retreats. If you believe that your workplace could benefit from these services, you can 1. share this information with your supervisor or company CEO, or 2. if you are the person in charge, just fill out this form.
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Written by: Melissa Wesner, LCPC
Melissa is the Founder of LifeSpring Counseling Services in Maryland, and she is a Certified Brainspotter and Brainspotting Consultant who specializes in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, and sex therapy.
