Breaking the Stigma: Addressing Workplace Substance Abuse

Emily Etherington, an HR business partner at Xenium, discusses managing substance abuse in the workplace. She explains that with substance abuse affecting one in ten people nationally, workplaces need structured approaches to support affected employees. The discussion covers two main support frameworks: company assistance programs for employees who self-disclose, and last chance agreements for cases involving policy violations or performance issues.   TAKEAWAYS Organizations should balance zero-tolerance policies with supportive resources and structures for employee recovery Success requires both employer willingness to support and employee commitment to engage in treatment Using third-party management for cases helps maintain professionalism and protect sensitive health information   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST  🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR 🎙️  Host: Brandon Laws 📋  his own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.