Page 29 - PWM2026_JANUARY EBOOK

TECHNOLOGY REPORT

omy £1.4 billion a year, through employers to identify signs of impairment and monitor compli- “It’s often the subtle changes. You
reduced alertness, concentration and ance with drug and alcohol policies. “This,” she says, “raises new might notice the smell of alcohol,
decision-making. In a print room, that challenges around duty of care, confidentiality and reasonable erratic behaviour, or frequent ‘Monday
can mean misaligned runs, wasted monitoring. Employers need to update their policies, making it illnesses’.” She sees colleagues some-
materials or even machinery damage.” clear that the same standards of conduct apply whether an times raising concerns but thinks that
To this she reiterates the safety employee is working on-site, from home or elsewhere.” managers are likely to already be pick-
dimension, that: “moving presses, cut- Robson worries that much of the behaviour is hidden: “Most ing up on patterns – small things that
ters and solvents make the environ- people aren’t going to admit to using drugs at work.” She says over time point to a problem.
ment risky if someone’s judgement or that “what we do know is that drug use is becoming more visible Regardless, Chander advises manag-
coordination is off”. than it was. Treatment services show that while alcohol prob-
She’s of the view that a culture that lems remain common, drug-related cases are increasing, some- ers to avoid jumping to conclusions as
overlooks heavy drinking or substance times alongside alcohol. So, the picture is shifting slightly, but symptoms of stress, fatigue or medical
use “can normalise poor behaviour, it’s important to be cautious”. But for her, “the true prevalence and mental health conditions may
from lateness and friction between col- of drug use is very hard to measure as much of it happens behind appear similar. She considers it “best
leagues to, in some cases, harassment closed doors”. practice to record observations objec-
or inappropriate conduct at work All of this, for Chander, means that it’s logical for employers tively and refer matters to HR or occu-
events... it’s not just about lost produc- to want to look closely at their current policies and make adapta- pational health for assessment rather
tivity, it’s about trust, consistency and tions to reflect today’s workplace. She says that “employers are than making direct accusations.
keeping both people and the business starting to adopt a single, integrated drug and alcohol policy, Confidentiality must always be main-
safe”. treating both issues under the same framework to ensure con- tained”.
sistent risk management, legal compliance and support mecha-
Abuse in recent years nisms for affected employees”. Managing the situation
Chander sees alcohol misuse as the It is important to note that there is no industry or role When suspicions of abuse arise,
most common substance-related issue immune to substance misuse. However, Robson’s experience employers have a duty of care to
in workplaces. She’s also seen a notable tells her that “in safety-critical industries, like construction, employees but also need to keep in
increase in the number of employers transport, or printing, the risks are more obvious, so policies and mind the matter at hand. They should
Drink and drugs in the wishing to undertake random drug more hidden, showing up as presenteeism, mistakes, or burn- act promptly but fairly.
testing tend to be stricter. But in office-based roles, issues can be
tests on their staff.
Chander says that if an employee
out”.
Several factors appear to underpin
appears impaired, suspension may be
Chander notes here the problems with white collar workers,
this shift.
appropriate whilst the matter is investi-
She says that “social attitudes
workplace towards alcohol have evolved, with that “in professional roles, stress, long hours and client pres- gated. “This should be treated as a neu-
sures can drive dependency on alcohol or stimulants as a coping
tral act, not a disciplinary sanction.
mechanism”.
many younger workers drinking less
During the investigation, employers
and preferring a healthier lifestyle.
Conversely, the use of recreational But the statistics are telling. should seek to determine whether the
drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and Robson points to ONS data that shows that 8.8% of issue is one of misconduct (say, drink-
nitrous oxide has become more visible 16-59-year-olds used some drugs in the past year, and 3% used ing during work hours) or dependency
and, in some circles, more socially Class A drugs. Alcohol use remains far more common, in 2023- (which may indicate a potential health
accepted”. Chander backs her views by 24 there were over a million alcohol-related hospital admissions problem).
citing ONS and NHS Digital surveys in England. As Robson explains, “these figures don’t state use at She says that where dependency is
over the past decade that show a grad- work, data on that will be hard to find, but they do highlight the suspected, offering support such as
ual decline in harmful alcohol con- scale of the problem and the importance of policies. counselling, referral to occupational
sumption, while overall drug use has Additionally, the stigma surrounding drug use often leads to health or participation in an employee
remained relatively stable though cer- underreporting, making it challenging to obtain accurate work- assistance programme can be an effec-
tain substances, such as cannabis and place-specific data”. tive first step. Dismissal should only fol-
cocaine, have seen a slight increase in With Gen Z consuming less alcohol than their older counter- low if the employee refuses help,
use among younger adults. parts but using drugs, particularly cannabis and stimulants, continues to breach policy, or poses a
Notably, employers are reporting more, so Chander reckons that employers need to tailor their serious health and safety risk.
increased issues involving the misuse of communication and support strategies to reflect these cultural Robson agrees, saying, that “the first
prescription or over-the-counter medi- and generational differences.
cations that are often linked to mental step should always be support.
health challenges or chronic pain. It Telltale signs Addiction is a health issue, and early
doesn’t help that a rise in remote and As to the signs of substance abuse that employers can look out help can prevent disciplinary out-
hybrid working has made detection and for, they include the smell of alcohol or strong-smelling drugs comes. Offer access to occupational
monitoring more difficult for obvious like weed, slurred speech, unsteady gait, bloodshot eyes, and health or an employee assistance pro-
reasons. This latter issue is not yet, in erratic and unpredictable behaviour. Employers may also notice gramme if you have one. But if there’s a
Chander’s view, being widely dis- a decline in performance, unexplained absences, poor time- safety risk, misconduct, or refusal to
cussed. The concern is that remote and keeping, or an increase in accidents and near misses. engage with help, disciplinary action
hybrid working has made it harder for Robson reckons that the signs are clear to see – if looked for. might be necessary”.

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