October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention both mental health and substance use today, two topics that are deeply related, especially in the construction and hospitality industries that make up the bulk of our clients.
Nearly 15% of people will have a mental health disorder at some time during their working-age life. And a whopping 27 million Americans go to work each week with a substance use disorder. Those numbers are even higher in the hospitality and construction industries.
Often, the first step happens at a policy level. Generous PTO, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and even something as simple as a list of resources can make a big difference. If you're in a position to impact your corporate policies, consider using the federal Recovery Ready Workplace toolkit as a place to start with substance use. Evidence shows that adoption of these types of policies can lower employee costs by reducing absences, increasing productivity, and reducing workers comp claims. If you have some budget, try an employee resource group, or if not, even just sharing info about local support options (We have heard good things about Ben’s Friends, a restaurant-industry specific support group).
For any mental health or substance use concern, be sure to loop in your HR team if you have specific concerns about an employee’s performance or safety. But creating a culture of support for those struggling with mental health or substance use can be as simple as having info about resources on a QR code outside the manager’s office, like a list of services that employees can access through your EAP for free, local recovery meetings or support groups, or simply an offer to talk if anyone needs it.
Sources: DOL, SHRM, Ben’s Friends
It’s easy to forget how much of what we do in food safety came from something going really wrong first. Some of the biggest outbreaks changed everything from how we investigate foodborne illness to what happens in the kitchen today.