How can your workplace support your sobriety?

Every day you will make decisions about what is best for your recovery process, and each day may pose a new challenge. One in ten full-time workers faces substance use problems, making it crucial for our work environments to be recovery friendly. You may not have thought before about how your place of work could affect your sobriety, but when we look at what is common practice in many office or work environments, we might see the variety of ways that it can create more of a challenge than we would initially think. 

Being proactive in ensuring  that the company you are working for is providing resources and fostering an environment that will benefit yours, and others’, recovery can benefit the entire workplace through an  overall increase in employee morale. This means it is not only in the best interest of your recovery to have a supportive work environment, but also your employers.

What does a recovery-friendly workplace look like?

Recovery is a journey full of decisions about making change, and work is often something that can remain a constant in our lives. It’s possible that you haven’t given much thought to the ways in which your workplace could be less than recovery-friendly. To ensure that your company stands by you as you work on your sobriety, consider the following:

• Do your work events usually have alcohol served? Consider bringing this up with someone you feel comfortable sharing this with and see what other options there might be that still bring the team together without serving alcohol in order to avoid that temptation and remove any stress. 
• If you are feeling exhausted from your job stress, you may feel like turning back into your addiction. Instead, remember that your personal and mental health is the most important thing. Talk with your boss about taking an extra break during the day or using one of your vacation days in order to recuperate. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is extremely important! 
• Many employers provide Employee Assistance Programs which typically provide free access to counselors. If your company provides this benefit, strongly consider enrolling in the program for the times when you feel stressed or overwhelmed during your recovery.

Find out if your employer has an Employee Assistance Program.

Many people do not know if their employer offers Employee Assistance Program’s. EAPs operate as an add-on benefit that is separate from any healthcare coverage you might have through your job. EAPs exist to help employees with resolving personal or work-related problems which may be affecting their performance at work. Professional therapy and counseling are one of the many things that are typically provided through an EAP and can be very helpful, especially to avoid relapse during the first year of recovery. 

Taking advantage of an EAP benefit like this provides somebody for you to talk with that is unbiased in your life after leaving your recovery center, a place where you can voice any concerns or fears you have during your journey through recovery. These programs are completely confidential from your employer. 

Reach out to your Human Resources department and see what you might be able to take advantage of just by being an employee. If your employer does not currently have any EAPs in place, it is something you could encourage them to consider adopting as it will not only relieve the stress off of those employees who take use of these programs but also those who they work with, creating a better and more productive work environment. This provides a positive outcome for both you and your employer!

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Whether you are just starting your addiction recovery journey or have been sober for decades, we are here for you. Our mission at Olalla Recovery Centers is to change the lives of people affected by alcoholism and other addictions.

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