The nation's substance use epidemic touches us all, including the business community. Employers have jobs to fill but hesitate to hire workers with a drug-use history. Workers recovering from addiction want to work but aren't given the chance. Other workers might be addicted, but go undetected, putting workplace safety at risk.
Substance use disorder costs U.S. companies an estimated $442 billion a year in lost productivity, health care costs, and absenteeism. The human and economic toll of this disease is far too great to go unchecked in the workplace. The burgeoning Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) movement represents a paradigm shift in how employers manage substance use disorder among their workforce.
Recovery Friendly Workplace Summit County (RFWSC) empowers employers to promote worksite wellness, increase access to support for personell struggling with substance misuse, provide employment opportunities to people in recovery, and reduce the stigma of addiction.
Workers in recovery play a critical role in keeping our region’s businesses healthy by improving workforce health and productivity. Employers who hire people in recovery observe workers who exhibit better health, attitude, productivity, and individual and organizational performance. Workers in recovery can improve their employer's bottom lines by utilizing less healthcare costs, having fewer unplanned absences, and lower turnover rates than their peers. Creating a work environment that supports recovery is good for employees and saves businesses money.
Recovering citizens are resourceful, resilient, and ready to work!
In our region, RFWSC represents a group of forward-thinking employers working collectively across industries to improve the health of its workforce and community. To speak with someone about how to join, click here.