\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n| <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n\n\n| If you\u2019re a small business owner, you probably wear a lot of hats: manager, mentor, HR rep, sometimes even IT support. You already know that building a successful company today means adapting to change, especially when it comes to supporting your team. How we approach substance use and mental health on the job is where workplaces need to be evolving quickly!<\/span><\/p>\n You might think serious conversations about substance use, behavioral health, and mental wellness are reserved for big corporations with large HR departments and employee wellness budgets. But in today\u2019s world, even the smallest teams need modern, compassionate policies.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? Because the way we work\u2014and what employees expect\u2014has changed. Employees today want to know that their employer cares about their whole well-being, not just their productivity. That includes creating space to talk about tough topics like stress, burnout, and yes, substance use.<\/span><\/p>\nModern leadership means recognizing that substance use is something that impacts real people\u2014people you may work with every day. It doesn\u2019t always look like someone missing work or failing a drug test. It can be more subtle: someone relying on alcohol to decompress every night, using prescription stimulants to keep up with unrealistic demands, or struggling quietly with a dependence on marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\nIgnoring these issues won\u2019t make them go away. But addressing them with care and structure? That\u2019s leadership.<\/span><\/p>\nHere\u2019s how small business owners can modernize their workplace by making room for this kind of support:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Update Your Workplace Culture, Not Just Your Tech<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nYou wouldn\u2019t run your business on a five-year-old software system. So why stick with outdated workplace norms around health and performance?<\/span><\/p>\nA modern workplace recognizes that stress, mental health, and substance use challenges are part of the human experience\u2014and responds with resources, not judgment. Whether that\u2019s offering access to support programs or simply encouraging open dialogue, small steps make a big difference.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. Create a Clear, Supportive Policy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nYes, even small businesses should have a written policy about substance use. Not to scare people\u2014but to protect them. A good policy:<\/span><\/p>\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Explains your company\u2019s stance (supportive, not punitive)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Details how employees can seek help confidentially<\/span><\/p>\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Trains supervisors to spot concerns and respond appropriately<\/span><\/p>\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Builds in support and resources\u2014like referrals, time off for treatment, or check-ins<\/span><\/p>\nIt shows employees that they don\u2019t have to hide what they\u2019re going through.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3. Lead With Curiosity, Not Control<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nYou don\u2019t need to be a counselor. But you can ask thoughtful questions, listen without judgment, and point people in the right direction. A curious, compassionate conversation can open the door to real change\u2014especially when someone is already feeling vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\nModern support means meeting people where they are. Whether someone is cutting back, abstaining, or just starting to question their habits, having your workplace be part of the solution helps them take the next step.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4. Set the Tone From the Top<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nAs a business owner, your attitude sets the culture. Talking openly about stress, supporting mental health days, and encouraging balance gives your employees permission to take care of themselves. And when people feel safe, they perform better. It\u2019s that simple.<\/span><\/p>\nAddressing substance use isn\u2019t about policing your team. It\u2019s about building a workplace where people can show up as they are, get the support they need, and grow. That\u2019s what today\u2019s employees are looking for\u2014and it\u2019s how small businesses build loyalty, retention, and a reputation for doing things the right way.<\/span><\/p>\nSource: McConnell, K. (2024, April 1). The Challenge of Change: How employers can modernize workplace substance use support<\/em>. How Employers Can Modernize Workplace Substance Use Support | Spring Health. https:\/\/www.springhealth.com\/blog\/how-employers-can-modernize-workplace-substance-use-support\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source:\u00a0 Drug Free America Foundation | 333 3rd Avenue N Suite 200 | St. Petersburg, FL 33701 US<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n| <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<DFAF>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n| NATIONAL DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ALLIANCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As the workplace division of Drug Free America Foundation, NDWA\u2019s mission is to be a national leader in the drug-free workplace industry by directly assisting employers and stakeholders, providing drug-free workplace program resources and assistance, and supporting a national coalition of drug-free workplace service providers.<\/span><\/p>\nFor more information and drug-free workplace resources, visit NDWA at <\/strong>www.ndwa.org.<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re a small business owner, you probably wear a lot of hats: manager, mentor, HR rep, sometimes even IT support. You already know that building a successful company today means adapting to change, especially when it comes to supporting your team. How we approach substance use and mental health on the job is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,68,64,120,40,36,19,125],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","category-drug-use-various-effects","category-health","category-mental-health","category-prevention-research","category-treatment-addiction","category-usa","category-workplace"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19560\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} | | | | | | | | |