How Can an Employer Spot Signs of Substance Abuse in an Employee?

The answer to this used to be pretty straightforward in a world where workers went to the office on a regular basis. Employers could look for visual cues, such as a haggard appearance, disheveled clothing, or the smell of alcohol.

Those basic signs can still be used in some instances, but in a world where many employees are either completely remote or hybrid, it can be easier for individuals to hide their struggles, and harder for employers to recognize them. But there are some things that employers can be on the lookout for. Note that any one of these can occur as a one-time circumstance, but if you notice a pattern of behavior or many of these things in concert, there may be an issue.

Employee Never Goes on Camera on Zoom

I realize that this can simply be because the worker’s house is a mess, or there is a lot of activity happening in their environment, but this is just something to take notice of, especially if it is in combination with any of the other items listed.

There Is a Big Change in The Employee’s Quality of Work

Are they suddenly missing a lot of deadlines with no explanation? Coming late to virtual or in-person meetings or not showing at all? Were they good performers before and now they seem to be struggling?

They Miss a Lot of Work, especially on Mondays

Many people who heavily use alcohol and drugs, try hard to hold it together during the week but allow themselves to “cut loose” on the weekends. Sometimes, it’s hard to stop using substances in time to be ready for work on Monday, and as a result, they call out sick or they are much less productive to begin the week.

They Miss a Lot of Early Morning Meetings

In the same vein as the point above, many employees with substance issues manage to get through the workday but overindulge in the off-hours. This often makes it tough to make early morning meetings.

If They Have to Call Out Sick, They Never Call You Directly

In today’s world, emails and texts are ubiquitous, but if you have an employee who calls out sick and never calls and leaves a voicemail or speaks with you directly, they may be doing so because they are too high or drunk to feel confident speaking to you.