How Employers Can Support Staff Struggling with Addiction
Supporting employees with addiction is silently becoming one of the most critical workforce challenges, with millions struggling in isolation.
Professor Marcantonio Spada, Chief Clinical Officer at Onebright, highlights concerning statistics that demand urgent attention. An estimated 10 million people in England regularly exceed low-risk drinking guidelines, with approximately 600,000 dependent on alcohol.
Beyond substance misuse, one in eight UK residents grapple with behavioural addictions—ranging from gambling and gaming to problematic social media use.
The Hidden Cost of Silence
The absence of effective strategies for supporting employees with addiction creates devastating consequences. Currently, 84% of alcohol-dependent individuals requiring treatment aren’t receiving it, whilst 22% of those starting treatment for addictive behaviours lack help for accompanying mental health needs.
This silence manifests through unexplained absences, declining performance, mood fluctuations, and conduct issues. When staff feel unable to speak openly, manageable problems escalate into crisis-level situations, transforming early-stage concerns into entrenched addiction.
Why Employees Stay Silent
Despite increased mental health awareness, helping staff overcome substance abuse remains heavily stigmatised. Behavioural addictions are frequently dismissed as mere bad habits or moral failings, whilst problem drinking is normalised within many workplace cultures.
Professional consequences loom large—fears of missed promotions, reduced responsibilities, or reputational damage keep countless employees suffering alone. Young men, disproportionately affected by fast-growing behavioural addictions, face additional barriers. Men are three times more likely than women to develop video gaming addiction, yet traditional masculine norms around self-reliance create obstacles to seeking help.
Building Effective Support Systems
Supporting employees with addiction begins long before crisis strikes. It requires dismantling silence through systemic cultural change.
Leadership Must Set the Tone
Senior leaders should model openness about health and wellbeing, establishing it as an organisational priority rather than an administrative formality. When leadership demonstrates that seeking support represents strength, it empowers others to follow.
Equip Line Managers
Line managers often first notice behavioural changes. Training them to recognise signs of addiction—from erratic behaviour to constant phone interaction—enables empathetic conversations rather than disciplinary responses when helping staff overcome substance abuse or behavioural dependencies. Understanding addiction as a mental health condition requiring treatment, not punishment, proves essential.
Provide Multiple Communication Channels
Not everyone feels comfortable approaching their direct manager. Anonymous wellbeing surveys, external therapist access through employee assistance programmes, and clinical mental health support create vital alternatives. Crucially, organisations should ask staff what forms of support they would find most helpful.
Establish Clear Policies
Employees need comprehensive information about available support before crisis occurs. Transparent policies outlining assistance options, access procedures, confidentiality assurances, and job security guarantees can determine whether someone seeks help early or struggles until intervention becomes unavoidable.
Monitor Mental Health Proactively
Regular check-ins, performance pattern reviews, and educational sessions facilitate early identification when supporting employees with addiction. Notably, 70% of individuals starting treatment for addictive behaviours also require mental health support. Addressing underlying anxiety, depression, or stress can prevent addictive coping mechanisms from developing.
Address Root Causes
Workplace cultures supporting work-life balance, managing stress effectively, and addressing mental health concerns reduce the likelihood of staff turning to substances or compulsive behaviours for relief.
The Way Forward
The challenge of supporting employees with addiction thrives in silence and shame but retreats when confronted with openness, understanding, and support. When organisations normalise help-seeking, they catch problems early, preventing escalation whilst preserving careers, relationships, and lives.
For employers, the question isn’t whether addiction exists within their workforce—it does. The crucial question is whether they have effective processes for helping staff overcome substance abuse and behavioural dependencies. Commitment to making that answer “yes” must extend beyond awareness weeks into everyday workplace culture.
Creating environments where conversations about addiction happen without fear represents not just compassionate leadership but strategic organisational investment in workforce wellbeing and productivity.
