'My boss knew': Why employers must rethink workplace addiction

Written by Dominik Stingas Paczko from The O'Connor Gateway Trust

Leading a charity that supports people in recovery from addiction, one thing I am always interested to learn about is their careers before they felt able to ask for help.

Recently, I asked a new client who joined our Recovery Academy programme about his career and how he navigated his addiction alongside his employment. He told me: “My boss knew about it, but he said as long as I get my work done, he’s OK with it.”

In my six months as chief officer for The O’Connor Gateway Trust—a Burton-based charity that supports people in recovery—this stands out as one of the most striking responses I’ve heard. You cannot help but wonder: could this client have received help sooner if his employer had been concerned about his well-being rather than just his output?

And what additional harm, pain, and damage did prolonging his addiction cause—not only to him, but to his family, friends, and ultimately the business itself?

What has become clear to me is that employers’ approaches to supporting staff through addiction are wildly inconsistent.

Some people are fortunate enough to receive excellent support, including paid time off, regular check-ins, and structured phased returns to work. Others are less fortunate and are immediately shown the door. The majority, however, never disclose anything at all; they simply continue down the same path until they are eventually found out.

A few weeks ago, we hosted a Department for Work and Pensions Policy Leads meeting at Langan’s Tea Rooms, our social enterprise that supports people in recovery. One of our clients spoke candidly about the sheer terror of opening up—the fear of their entire world collapsing around them the moment they admitted they could no longer cope.

They carried that heavy burden around for two years before it all became too much.

Every time I hear stories like this, I am left with the same thought: if employers had a better understanding of addiction—why it happens, what support exists, and policies that actively guide people through rehabilitation and recovery—how different might many of our clients' lives be right now?

Through the introduction of specific covenants, we’ve seen employers gain a far greater understanding of the issues affecting various groups.

The Armed Forces, Care Leavers, and Domestic Abuse covenants are all government-recognised frameworks that employers can sign up to. Yet, there is currently nothing similar for substance dependency.

The question in my mind is, if employers were able to gain a better understanding and more knowledge around addiction, if they had something similar to the Armed Forces Covenant badge that they could proudly display on their literature and throughout their organisation, could we eventually see more people seeking recovery come forward and get the help they need sooner?

One area of work I am now keen to develop as part of The O’Connor Gateway Trust is to support local businesses to gain a better understanding of addiction to ensure they can support their current workforce, while also shifting perceptions around recovery.

Equally, I want to shine a light on just how employable people in recovery truly are. Work brings purpose, routine, and dignity, and securing meaningful employment can make a life-changing difference for our clients. By building bridges with local employers, we can create workplace cultures where asking for help is supported, and where people in recovery are given the opportunity to thrive.

I am hoping before the end of year, we find the space and interest to deliver workshops to local businesses, featuring our clients who can talk from lived experience to enable local businesses to develop policies to support those in addiction and recovery.