John Tuttle, an employee assistance program (EAP) manager at a major airline, has more than 25 years experience in occupational social work and as an internal EAP. Today he spoke with Perspectives’ Working World Café about helping employees with alcohol and substance abuse problems and how helping them benefits business.
WWC: Hi John, thanks for speaking with us today. I understand that you’re a licensed clinical social worker and certified addiction counselor with more than 25 years in the field. During that time, you’ve also been an internal EAP for your organization, a major airline, for more than 21 years. As the leader of your EAP, can you shed light on the issues that your department handles?
JT: Sure. Put simply, we’re an internal broad-brush program. Most of what we do is EAP, mental health, family problems, and general workplace issues dealing with trauma or workplace incidents.
A workplace incident can mean anything from workplace violence to altercations to something much more serious. As the EAP, we’re part of the team that assesses if there is a level of danger or risk that needs to be addressed.
WWC: How does drug and alcohol abuse impact your business and what is your role as the EAP?
JT: Our drug and alcohol rules are well publicized throughout the organization, so it’s really about maintaining our policies. We have a good number of people that volunteer for treatment on their own – perhaps encouraged by friends, or family or doctors. We refer them to treatment and follow up with them to increase the odds of long-term recovery.
We also have people that are discovered through Department of Transportation (DOT) random testing or they come to work under the influence and are tested for that reason.
WWC: How many people proactively seek out help from your EAP?
JT: About 70% volunteer. Thirty percent (30%) are discovered as the result of a positive test. But very few wake up in the morning and think, “I’m going to rehab today.” Usually there are legal issues or health problems or spousal issues that drive them. What our EAP tries to do is publicize to the workers: “If it affects your life, we’ll help you get treatment that helps to address your needs.”
WWC: How do you identify an alcoholic that isn’t proactively seeking help?
JT: Usually, if a manager knows their people, they see a change in behavior, attitude and performance. We don’t want managers to diagnose – like suggesting an employee is psycho, addicted to crack or bi-polar – but we do want them to look at the other factors and suggest an EAP consultation.
WWC: How do you, as an EAP, help them?
JT: It starts with an evaluation assessment, in person or telephonic. Once we understand their situation, we work to ascertain the type of treatment that is best for them: local vs. outpatient or physically away from the area, so that they are out of their environment. It’s about finding the right approach for that particular individual.
WWC: Once someone has received treatment how do you handle their return to work?
JT: Typically our people, because so many have safety responsibilities, need to be cleared through our EAP and the company’s medical department. It’s a two-tiered process and we work closely together to decide that an individual is ready to return.
There is also a 1-2 year follow-up agreement put in place. And, in order to return, they must at least be in remission and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing behavioral changes and follow up.
WWC: Do you have any examples of how helping workers has helped your business?
JT: Generally, if we have somebody with a serious substance or mental health problem and we are able to get them the right help, we end up with a better employee on the other end. They have better performance, customer service, attendance, and health related expense costs. It serves the purpose of the business because they are moved in the right direction.
In addition, we are a heavily unionized employer. So we can’t say, “You aren’t working out so you have to go.” Having someone leave is a pretty lengthy process. Helping them is better than them missing work, causing problems or having to bring someone else in on overtime to cover their shift.
WWC: Do you think businesses are good at encouraging employees to use their EAP?
JT: If an EAP is positioned as being a potential help to employees, then employees are more likely to use their services. It also helps managers improve employee performance – then it can be seen as a positive service for everyone. Managers like EAP because if EAP helps an employee, that’s one less person causing them problems.
We’re here to assist and help everyone.
WWC: Are there any statistics about the benefits of EAP that stand out in your mind?
JT: There are a lot of different numbers out there. I don’t like to quote an exact number, but anecdotally and in research, whatever dollars are spent to assist, treat and educate about substance abuse in the workplace, there is a pay-back to the company.
No matter what the statistic is for your company, it’s worth it. On a day-to-day basis, and in our internal research, I see that our company has a return well beyond what we spend on EAP and other costs – less in-fighting, accidents, absences, arbitrations, and so on.
We give employees a one-time chance to get their job back and then, if we need to, we approach termination and arbitration.
You may not be successful 100 percent of time, but it still pays off.
WWC: Are there any final words that you’d like to share with our readers?
JT: One of the reasons that I got involved in occupational social work years ago, was that I found you can see a dramatic turnaround in people when they get the right help. Years ago, I worked in in-patient mental health and we’d see a lot of sad cases of people just going in and out. But when people are employed and have access to treatment, you can see dramatic turnarounds that save lives.
Just six weeks ago, a woman came to work impaired. But after treatment and recovery, her appearance, her way of managing her life, her attitude and her approach have completely changed. It’s amazing to see.
I know people that have worked in our operation for 10-20 years. It’s not unusual that I see people and they say: “If I hadn’t gotten help, I’d be dead;” or, “You really helped turn around my life;” or, “I would have been fired a long time ago.”
That makes it all worth it.
Tags: alcohol abuse, business, drug abuse, EAP, Employee Assistance Program, john tuttle, national alcohol and drug addiction recovery month, recovery, risk assessment
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