As the Great Resignation continues, it’s abundantly clear that recruiting and retaining talent is one of the biggest challenges employers face. What unique business growth strategies can organizations use? At Chameleon Group, we’ve found that focusing on addiction recovery has helped us find and support good people who are ready to work toward a fresh start.
According to Recovery Friendly Workplace, untreated addiction costs New Hampshire’s economy $2.36 billion—and businesses shoulder 66% of that cost, or $1.5 billion, in the form of decreased productivity and absenteeism.
Chameleon Group became a Recovery Friendly Workplace after observing several employees who had attendance issues. As our founder Dana Lariviere puts it, “I’m not sure that we ever decided to become a Recovery Friendly workplace. I think it was decided for us.”
When one employee was let go due to absenteeism, she contacted us a few years later, searching for another opportunity. We rehired her on a trial basis, and she excelled! We quickly recognized that this was a promising recruiting and retention source many employers hadn’t considered.
Below are some innovative employee retention strategies related to addiction recovery that have worked for us.
The Great Resignation does not discriminate by industry or company size—although resignations were highest in the tech and healthcare industries as of September 2021.
The high turnover costs employers significantly in recruiting, hiring, and training expenses. But recent research shows the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Many workers haven’t been happy in their new positions and continue job hopping.
Employees want more than a decent salary. They’re on the hunt for:
Employers who want to build and retain a strong team must show compassion and empathy for people’s challenges, whether family life, mental health, or substance use disorder (SUD).
Implementing an addiction recovery program in your workplace is not only the right thing to do—it also helps nurture long-term employee loyalty. While many people associate the word “recovery” with drug or alcohol addiction, your employees could be living with other addictions or personal struggles, such as:
So, how can your business focus on addiction recovery?
Employers have a responsibility to create a safe and healthy work environment. A significant piece of this is ensuring employees do not experience excessive work stress. Employees should have clear expectations to assess their performance. All should feel respected and heard.
Recovery Friendly Workplaces support people where they are at in their journey. This often means helping them find addiction recovery tools and resources. Consider creative ways you can help your team manage their stress and progress, such as:
And when it comes to communication, be sure to:
“The most rewarding thing about being a Recovery Friendly Workplace is seeing these folks go from being perceived as a net drain on society to a net contributor,” says Dana.
As we shifted our business to focus on addiction recovery, we saw countless opportunities to help employees and our community.
We built the foundation by updating our hiring and staffing policies. They now reflect our mission of creating an inclusive, empathetic workplace.
Reentering the job force is difficult for recovering addicts, who often feel they have to bend the truth or fill in gaps on their resumés. But when they apply and work for a Recovery Friendly Workplace, they can be honest without fear of judgment. This environment means everything to those in recovery and provides them with a sense of relief.
Chameleon Group also emphasizes constant communication for our employees in addiction recovery. We stuck to this even throughout COVID when we were apart to ensure no one felt isolated.
Chameleon Group has obtained special designations and partnerships, starting with becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace. This means we:
We also became a “Place”—a Dover Mental Health Alliance designation available to any business, organization, or institution that focuses on the mental health of their employees, colleagues, and customers. Requirements to become a “Place” include:
Additionally, we collaborate with Working Fields, a recovery-friendly staffing agency based in Vermont. They partner with employers wishing to give addiction recovery people a second chance. All candidates are:
Chameleon Group is dedicated to providing a place of accountability for employees to work other than alone in their homes, where they have a higher risk of relapse.
What better way to bring people together than with food?! Our Food Days demonstrate inclusion, one of our core values. These informal events are perfect for those dealing with addiction recovery, social anxiety, and introverts who struggle to communicate. Food Days include:
Additional resources team members can benefit from without judgment include:
Chameleon Group leadership and team members will even attend an employee’s drug court graduation and celebrate this milestone. We want our colleagues to know that we are their support network and are proud of their hard work and progress!
When asked to sum up Dana’s generosity, Deb Clark, Chameleon Group’s VP of Sales and Operations says, “He surprises me every day. He has a great ability to problem solve outside what a normal business owner would do. He doesn’t think twice about it.”
Chameleon Group is passionate about educating other employers about addiction recovery, becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace, and inclusive business development tools. From roundtable discussions on addiction recovery resources to public rallies, you’ll often find one of our team members spreading the word!
Interested in joining the conversation and learning more about becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace? Join us at a future event:
While focusing on addiction recovery requires time and financial investment from employers, the return is priceless. As a Recovery Friendly Workplace, Chameleon Group:
If your business or organization wants to get involved, we will be happy to discuss resources, ideas, and strategies with you. Please reach out to Chameleon Group today!
Phone: 800.773.9182
Email: [email protected]
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