Hur hanteras missbruksproblem på arbetsplatsen? En kvalitativ studie om HR- och personalchefers strategier att hantera personal med missbruksproblematik

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate what strategies HR and managers with staff responsibilities use to detect, rehabilitate and prevent alcohol- and drug abuse in the workplace. Furthermore, if these strategies differ when employees work remotely or from the office. The study was based on theories such as co-dependency, Demand- Control-Support Model, Motivational interviewing (MI), Legal aspects, Alcohol policy and education and lastly Disease Model of Addiction. Qualitative method was chosen for this study and data was collected through interviews. The eight respondents were managers with staff responsibilities, HR managers, HR and HR Business Partners. The interviews were structured in five different sections: introduction, detection, rehabilitation, prevention and a final section regarding the respondents' challenges for the future professionals. The results of the study show that few respondents had received training in the area of substance abuse problems and how to recognise warning signals. All the respondents’ workplaces had an alcohol and drug policy. The study shows that few respondents were psychologically affected when they discovered staff with substance abuse problems. However, the majority thought that even though the discovery of these problems was sad per se, it was positive that they were in a position to provide help. The respondents felt that they had knowledge of the employer's obligation in rehabilitation and were aware of the employer's responsibility in rehabilitation by law. Half of the respondents felt that substance abuse was a common problem in the workplace and that it was more difficult to detect when working remotely. The method of detecting substance abuse problems differed, but it did not depend on the site where the respondent worked. Regarding the rehabilitation, the majority of the respondents had used an external specialist with the proper expertise. All expressed the importance of personalised rehabilitation based on the individual's needs, including psychological support if needed. Most respondents did not feel that rehabilitation differed depending on where the person worked as the same plan is followed. Regarding preventive work, the respondents varied in the extent to which they work, as some worked actively with it in the form of lectures and trainers, while others had gone through the subject during introduction. For the future, the respondents highlighted the importance of being attentive and vigilant to signals of increased digitalisation. In addition, workplaces should work proactively on the social aspect to avoid exclusion. Finally, it is important to learn to identify warning signals and the topic should be talked about more to de-dramatise the sensitivity.