Supporting Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery in Alberta Hospitality
Sober October is as good a month as any to shed light on the prevailing challenges of drug and alcohol abuse within Alberta's hospitality industry. Among the many sectors, the hospitality industry faces an alarmingly high incidence of substance abuse. Restaurant owners play a pivotal role in turning the tide and offering support to their staff members in navigating the complexities of addiction and recovery.
Understanding the unique challenges faced by the hospitality workforce, this blog post delves into proactive measures that restaurant owners can adopt to address drug and alcohol abuse effectively.
Start the Conversation
Bringing in a professional to educate your employees on substance abuse demonstrates a genuine concern for their well-being, both inside and outside the restaurant. It reflects your commitment to ensuring their safety and highlights your willingness to take necessary steps for their protection. Most notably, such training fosters an open and constructive conversation within your establishment, encouraging employees to feel more comfortable seeking assistance from management and suggesting ways to promote a safer work environment.
Partner with a Sobriety Non-profit
Consider various ways to support those in recovery within your restaurant community. Arrange AA or NA meetings during off-hours, participate in phone or email sober support chains, or explore partnerships with sobriety non-profits, sharing a portion of your profits with them for a day. Partnerships may create more access to resources for your staff, and by spreading the word to your broader community, you can attract customer support from individuals eager to back the cause. Doing so can also establish your restaurant as a safe haven for those grappling with substance abuse or addiction in your local area.
Rethink “Staff Drinks”
The dynamic and close-knit work environment in restaurants doesn't directly cause substance abuse, but it does foster an atmosphere where such issues are more likely to arise. “Shift drinks” are often used as a way to reward staff after their shift, however, they are expensive to a restaurant’s bottom line (sometimes costing up to $25,000 per year) and can also contribute to abuse. Instead, use that money for something else that supports your staff and culture, like a staff retreat, counselling sessions, or season tickets to a local sporting team that can be split amongst staff members.
Provide Incentives to Make Healthy Choices
Encouraging healthy habits can play a pivotal role in reducing substance abuse cases within the hospitality industry. Restaurant owners can design incentive programs that reward employees for making positive choices related to nutrition, exercise, and overall well-being. Whether that’s providing a stipend for gym membership fees, doing team bonding activities related to exercise, or hosting nutrition or habit challenges, the options here are endless.
Offer Access to Resources and/or Counseling Services
While offering health insurance is not always in the cards for restaurant owners, there is a wide variety of free resources available (see below). Simply putting up a flyer on the employee bulletin board with a list of resources can make a huge difference. Where possible, offering comprehensive health insurance to employees can make a significant difference in addressing substance abuse concerns. Access to therapy and counselling sessions can provide a crucial lifeline for individuals seeking support in their journey toward recovery.
As restaurant owners, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of our staff by supporting them in using drugs and alcohol responsibly or during their journey of recovery from substance abuse and addiction. By implementing a firm drug & alcohol policy and engaging in some of the above options, we can create an environment that not only ensures the safety of our team but also empowers them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Let this National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month serve as a reminder of our shared responsibility to support and uplift those around us, as we continue to build a strong and caring hospitality community in Alberta.
RESOURCES:
It’s Our Business Manual: AHS Staff Prevention and Health Promotion Manual for Workplace Consultation
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/amh/if-amh-iob-manual.pdf
AHS 24-hour Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322
AHS 24-hour Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-303-2642
Startyourrecovery.org offers people who are dealing with substance use issues a single source of reputable, objective information about signs, symptoms, conditions, treatment options and resources—presented in a user-friendly format and in language that's easy to understand.