Running your own financial advisory business means taking on a whole new set of responsibilities, including the often thankless task of managing employee behaviour. Unfortunately, such duties may include learning to cope with an employee with a substance abuse problem.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto says a typical workplace of 1,000 employees has an alcoholism/excessive drinking rate of 10% to 20%, and an illicit drug use rate of 2% to 7%. But substance abuse can strike in any office setting, regardless of size.

“Addiction knows no boundaries, whether those boundaries be the size of the organization, the nature of the company or social status. It affects people of all ages and all occupations,” says Gerry Smith, vice president of organizational health at WarrenShepell, a human resources consulting firm in Toronto.

Smith estimates that 70% of the addiction cases he handles in the workplace are related to alcohol, with the remaining 30% involving abuse of prescribed drugs, marijuana, cocaine and heroin.
Unfortunately, he says, office managers are usually ill-prepared to deal with an employee who demonstrates the classic symptoms of an addiction.

What do managers need to know? “First and foremost, managers should never underestimate the effects of substance abuse in the workplace,” says Smith, citing absenteeism, reduced productivity, erratic behaviour and an uncomfortable office environment as just a few of the byproducts of addiction. “They need to be on the lookout for addiction and they need to understand that it’s an illness, and that means having the patience to help a colleague and offer him or her the support and encouragement he or she needs to move forward.”

Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to ensure you don’t hire employees with an addiction in the first place. Screening through pre-employment drug testing is illegal in Canada (even for safety-sensitive jobs such as truck driving or equipment operation), and even the keenest eye won’t be able to detect a problem during the interview process.

“It’s difficult to screen for drug and alcohol addictions up front, unless you happen to be extremely wise or extremely observant,” says Smith. Grossly dilated pupils and spots around the nose and mouth are good indicators of a drug problem, as is the smell of alcohol to indicate a drinking problem. But it’s unlikely any of the signs will present themselves until the employee has been on the job for weeks, or even months.

Other telltale signs of addiction include a dishevelled and unkempt appearance, tiredness, lethargy, lateness and absenteeism, particularly on Monday and Fridays. Granted, such so-called signs can describe just about anyone who’s having a bad day, making it even harder to approach an employee about a suspected addiction.

“The most important thing is
documentation,” says Laura Holder,
inquiries services representative at the Ontario Human Rights Commission in Ottawa. “When a employer thinks there’s cause, it better show cause.”

She recommends keeping a log of employee behaviour to track the specifics of each incident, including the date, time and a description of what happened (for example, lateness for meetings). Once enough “evidence” has been gathered, it’s time to discuss it with the employee — a delicate matter, particularly in a small office in which privacy is scarce.

Ideally, the workplace will have a performance-management schedule in place that ensures the manager has regular one-on-one meetings with employees.
(Smith says that managers at small companies should aim to speak to staff members about twice a month.) The pre-scheduled meetings provide the opportunity to evaluate performance and raise any concerns about the employee’s behaviour.

It also helps to have a written policy about employee behaviour as part of a larger code of conduct in the workplace. Such a policy may state that an employee must come to the workplace in a manner in which they’re fit to work, free from the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other substance that would affect their mood and ability to work, Smith says. “This policy should be in writing and employees should sign off on it at least once a year,” he says.

Bear in mind that confronting an employee whom you suspect has a problem shouldn’t be viewed as a punitive measure, but rather as offering help with the rehabilitation process. Addictions are classified as disabilities under the Canada Human Rights Code, thereby making it unlawful for an employer to terminate an employee on
the basis of his or her addiction.