Why Your Employees’ Health Matters
Companies and organizations cannot be competitive without healthy, productive employees. Supporting employees to engage in healthier behaviors keeps a business productive and reduces costs over time.
Did You Know?
According to several studies:
- 1 in 12 workers have an untreated substance use disorder
- Ten to 15% of Ohioans, or 1.15 million to 1.75 million individuals have a life history of a substance use disorder
- The annual economic impact of substance misuse is estimated to be $249 billion for alcohol misuse and $193 billion for illicit drug use
- Productivity losses linked to employees who miss work cost employers about $1,685 per employee each year
- Over 70% of fatal opioid overdoses occur in working aged adults
- In the U.S. only 1 in 10 people with a substance use disorder obtain treatment
- Employers can save an average of $8,500 for supporting each employee in recovery from substance use disorder
Benefits of Becoming a RFW
Consider this. A healthier employee population can:
- Decrease employer health costs
- Decrease absenteeism
- Increase productivity and decreases presenteeism
- Increase employee morale
- Increase employee recruitment and retention
What Can Employers Do?
Employers can support healthier behaviors and a recovery-friendly work environment through programs & policies that promote better employee health and health outcomes. These programs can be structured according to the financial and human resource capabilities of the business.
Sample activities and policies include:
- Offering health benefit packages that include substance misuse supports
- Hosting alcohol-free work activities
- Developing a second-chance employment policy