Recovery Already At Work

“Recovery-friendly workplaces do not bring the problem into the workplace,” said Eliza Zarka, who leads the National Recovery-Friendly Workplace (RFW) Institute. “They’re bringing solutions for the problem that already exists.”

Eliza’s reframe cuts against how most employers hear this conversation. Workplace recovery tends to get treated as a new responsibility, something a company is being asked to take on. But the numbers describe the opposite. Fourteen million people in the United States work full-time and are in long-term recovery. They are already employed, already contributing, already part of the workforce that shows up every day.

The reality those employers are responding to is one they already carry. In a recent HRCI webinar, Eliza described presenteeism, when an employee is physically at work but mentally focused on helping a family member who is struggling. It doesn’t show up on a timesheet. It shows up in focus, productivity, and the quiet strain that often goes unseen.

For employers, that reality is not a liability. It’s an opportunity.

Two employers shared what that looks like in practice.

Gorilla Glue and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the national trade association representing 23,000 construction companies, both became nationally certified recovery-friendly workplaces in 2024.

Gorilla Glue’s Stephanie Styles, who works in HR, described how adopting a recovery-friendly workplace model has improved the company’s processes and helped shift its approach to substance use disorder—from relying on traditional drug testing to recognizing SUD as a treatable health condition. Through a two-year partnership with the Ohio recovery-friendly workplace initiative, the company also gained access to shared resources, training, and policy guidance.

For ABC, the certification process “… really was just the beginning,” said DeAnna Thomas, vice president of HR at ABC. Following certification, the organization continued to invest in education, training, and learning opportunities with other recovery-friendly employers, helping its team build a deeper understanding of recovery and the communities they serve.

Learning from other recovery-friendly organizations gave ABC practical ideas for supporting employees in recovery. The company has focused on intentionally incorporating recovery-friendly practices into the programs, policies, and workplace culture already in place.

What changed for both companies was small and visible.

Culture. Both moved non-alcoholic options at company events into their own station, separate from the bar. The change reads as logistics. The effect was not. “We actually had someone tell us they’ve cut back on alcohol consumption at events because we separated the two areas,” DeAnna said. Guests could order a soda without anyone handing them a cocktail. Stephanie described the larger pattern as “moving as a company from a reactive zero-tolerance type mindset to a proactive, empathetic-driven culture.”

Hiring and retention. When DeAnna joined ABC, she narrowed the criminal-records lookback used in hiring from 30 years to 7. Candidates with substance-related items on their record receive a conversation and a chance to provide context. Meanwhile, Gorilla Glue is building a second-chance program with a return-to-work agreement for employees affected by substance use disorder.

Benefits. During certification, Gorilla Glue updated its health plan documents to state clearly that substance use disorder treatment is covered the same as other medical conditions. Meanwhile, ABC offers employees a choice between two Employee Assistance Programs.

Education and awareness. A key part of the work, ABC incorporated role-play scenarios so frontline managers could build confidence in responding to difficult situations before they occurred. Reasonable suspicion training emphasized dignity, respect, and support rather than surveillance.

Both companies placed naloxone next to their Automated External Defibrillators (AED), with employees trained to use it. At Gorilla Glue, a resource poster carries a QR code that routes employees to county recovery resources around the clock, the same poster an employee can take home to help a friend or family member.

For DeAnna, recovery-friendly workplaces are about more than policies and programs. “It’s not about compliance,” she said. “It’s about the culture and compassion that you show your employees.”

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Stephanie said, “and you don’t know who’s been affected until you start talking to people.”

Recovery has always been at work. What is changing is how employers are making it more visible.

5 Things Employers Can Do Now

1. Post recovery resources where employees can access them privately, anytime.
2. Confirm your health plan covers substance use disorder the same as other conditions.
3. Set up a separate non-alcoholic drink area at company events.
4. Inform employees of their legal rights regarding treatment.
5. Watch the YouTube video: The ROI of Recovery: Recovery-Friendly Workplace Policies & Practices — HRCI.

First in a series from Journey Magazine and the National Recovery-Friendly Workplace Institute. The full HRCI webinar is available on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4umzceD