Building a Recovery Friendly Workplace
As a business owner or leader in the workplace, National Recovery Month is a great time to evaluate how your organization can support employees in recovery. Being a Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) is more than just providing an environment that is safe for all employees. RFWs also recognize the unique strengths of individuals in recovery and view them as assets to their organization. Below is some general info on RFWs and tips to help your organization get started.
What is a Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW)?
The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention defines a Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) as “an organization that uses evidence-based policies and practices to unite the entire organization by recognizing recovery from addiction as a strength and by being willing to work intentionally with people in recovery. RFWs encourage a healthy, safe, and productive work environment where employers, employees, and communities can collaborate to create positive change and eliminate barriers for those impacted by addiction.” Any organization in any industry can become a Recovery Friendly Workplace.
Why Are RFWs Important?
Substance use disorders (SUD) impact employees, families, workplaces, and communities. As of 2022, there are 23 million individuals in the U.S. who are in recovery. A successful Recovery Friendly Workplace improves the lives of employees in recovery and also provides tangible benefits to employers. Common benefits of a Recovery Friendly Workplace can include:
- Improvements in employee morale, engagement and productivity
- Decreases in absenteeism, accidents, downtime, and turnover
- Healthcare cost savings
NH’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative
Many states have launched initiatives to incentivize and support businesses in creating recovery friendly work environments for their employees. The first Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative was created by Governor Chris Sununu in New Hampshire. Since its inception, RFWs continue to be sought out by other states looking to replicate this successful model. New Hampshire’s “Recovery Friendly Workplace” (RFW) Initiative “challenges stigma and empowers workplaces to provide support for employees in recovery and all those impacted by substance use disorder (SUD).” No-cost benefits to participating employers include:
- Trainings on how to create and support a Recovery Friendly Workplace culture for all employees
- Partnership with a Recovery Friendly Advisor to meet customized business needs related to SUDs
- Connection to an array of community prevention, treatment, and recovery resources
General Steps to Becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace
Different states have their own guidance for becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace, and even provide a formal RFW designation upon completion of the process. Below are some common components of a Recovery Friendly Workplace plan.
Commitment
Start by getting buy-in from key stakeholders and leadership. Provide a brief definition of what a Recovery Friendly Workplace is and how working to create this environment can provide benefits to both employees and the organization as a whole (utilize data from the toolkits linked below to highlight the effectiveness of RFW practices).
For this initiative to meet its goals, supporting employees in recovery must be reflected in company-wide values, policies, and practices. This can look like:
- Planning company social events that don’t promote the use of alcohol or are alcohol-free; finding alternatives to office “happy hours”
- Placing posters that decrease stigma
- Offering recovery resources in the workplace
- Participating in recovery-focused community events; representing your Recovery Friendly Workplace practices as a point of pride
- Hosting “brown bag lunch” education sessions
Internal Assessment
The purpose of the initial assessment is to get an idea of the company’s starting point and guide the clearest path forward. The ultimate goal through assessment is to find out how current workplace policies, practices and benefits, either help or hinder recovery. Some areas that should be examined:
- Hiring practices (Does the company welcome/encourage hiring persons in recovery?)
- Health benefits (Does company health insurance cover substance use disorder treatment, mental health care, wellness programs, etc?)
- Time off (What are company attitudes towards taking time off? Do policies support leave options for treatment, mental health days, flex time, sick days?)
- Workplace culture (What are general attitudes and beliefs surrounding SUD and recovery? How are instances of employees asking for help handled? How are concerns addressed; in a punitive or compassionate manner?)
Training and Education
Providing education is a key step to creating an environment that supports recovery. Components of a Recovery Friendly Workplace training plan should include information about:
- Understanding Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
- Myths and misconceptions about mental health and substance use disorders and how to address stigma
- How to reverse an opioid overdose with naloxone/NARCAN®
- Four pillars of recovery and pathways to recovery
- Employee confidentiality and privacy rights
Make Resources Available
In materials such as employee handbooks and newsletters, and locations like breakroom bulletin boards, and other shared spaces, provide employees with recovery resources, such as:
- Treatment information and nearby programs
- Local Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs)
- Recovery focused events
- Support groups
- Any other relevant resources
Measure Impact and Ongoing Maintenance
Beginning with specific goals in mind can help evaluate the overall effectiveness of a Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative. Example goals of a RFW initiative might include:
- Increased employee satisfaction, retention, and engagement
- Decrease in employee turnover
- Decrease in overall healthcare costs
- Increase in voluntary use of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Ideally data should be measured annually.
Resources for Employers
Toolkits:
Colorado
Connecticut
Nevada
Peer Recovery Center of Excellence
Resource Directories
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
The Role of EAP in Recovery