Hazelden Launches "Making Recovery America's Business" Campaign to Change How Companies Treat Addicted Employees

Nearly one in four human resources (HR) professionals surveyed reveal that their companies are less likely to hire a job candidate if the person is in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction - even though 89 percent believe treatment is effective in helping those employees fight addiction. These findings are from a new "Workplace Addiction Survey" conducted by Minnesota-based Hazelden Foundation as part of the launch of its "Making Recovery America's Business" corporate education campaign.

"Alcoholism and drug addiction are indeed chronic, potentially fatal diseases if not treated," states William C. Moyers, VP-External Affairs for Hazelden. "Our survey reveals a stunning disconnect in corporate America: HR professionals recognize that addiction treatment works and know that recovering employees come back after treatment as productive members of their companies. Yet at many companies, these enlightened beliefs aren't translated into the practice of directing employees into treatment, thanks to the stigma of addiction and a lack of knowledge about it."

On a positive note, Hazelden's "Workplace Addiction Survey" of 200 U.S. companies-from Fortune 500 giants to small businesses-also reveals:

• Almost all (84 percent) of the HR professionals surveyed considered addiction a chronic illness/disease.
• Almost all (over 80 percent) would recommend treatment for an addicted executive or a rank-and-file worker alike, rather than merely firing them.
• An overwhelming 93.5 percent of respondents believe that employees at their companies have easy/very easy access to addiction treatment once workers accept they need it. Yet curiously enough, 38 percent of companies say none of their employees has ever sought out treatment.
• Nearly three quarters (72.6 percent) of respondents believe that employees who sought treatment later returned to work as productive members of the workforce.
• Finally, 89 percent of respondents believe that addiction treatment programs are effective in helping employees beat addiction.

Stumbling Blocks to Employees Getting Addiction Treatment
Hazelden's Moyers points out that 60.5 percent of the HR professionals surveyed believed addiction significantly affects employees in their workplaces - citing absenteeism and reduced productivity. However, those same respondents highlighted barriers keeping them from suggesting addiction treatment to employees:

• Over half (54 percent) reported a lack of experience or expertise in knowing how to identify addiction.
• More than one-third (36 percent) reported a lack of experience or expertise in knowing how to get treatment.
• One-quarter (25 percent) reported a belief at their company that it is just easier in the long run to terminate an addicted employee vs. getting them treatment.
• One-quarter (25.5 percent) reported a belief at their company that treatment is too expensive.

"Hazelden is calling for corporate executives and managers to step forward now and become advocates of treatment for their addicted employees," says Cheryl Lowe, Hazelden's Manager of Employee Relations. "With more than 23 million Americans suffering from alcohol and drug addiction, it's time for businesses to learn how to recognize addiction, banish its stigma, and encourage treatment for all employees who need it."

About Hazelden's Workplace Addiction Survey and Campaign
The results of Hazelden's 2003 Workplace Addiction Survey are being officially announced on December 4, 2003 in New York City, kicking off Hazelden's 2003-2004 "Making Recovery America's Business" campaign. The corporate outreach campaign, supported with a national ad program and distribution of Hazelden guidelines, 12 Steps Every Company Can Take To Deal With Addicted Employees, is designed to change the way businesses view addiction and recovery.

The telephone survey, conducted in October 2003 for Hazelden by Ipsos-Insight, polled 200 human resource professionals from across the country-including Fortune 500, medium-size and small businesses. The margin of error is +/- 6.9 percent.

Survey Data Tables

Interview information - William C. Moyers, Vice President of External Affairs, Hazelden Foundation