Part two of a
In 2018, Mark Bonta was among a group of business leaders introduced to a new, government-funded approach to
At the time, Bonta was a plant director in New Hampshire, where governor Chris Sununu launched his Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative. During an orientation about the
"Hearing about these practices and the perspective of it, and the fact that the governor was pushing this, really opened my eyes that I might have a different option than just firing someone if they report to work under the influence, or I discover that they have a substance use disorder," says Bonta, who has since retired from plant management and now serves as executive director of Recovery Jobs Foundation, an organization that helps teach employers how to support and educate talent who are in active recovery from an SUD.
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Before that first information meeting was over, Bonta was all in. As a manager who had been faced with this issue in the past, he had seen firsthand the toll of SUDs on his employees, and what offering resources for recovery could mean. The memory of one worker who repeatedly showed up intoxicated, resulting in her termination, made him especially interested in a better alternative.
"I thought that that was my obligation — I had to fire her. It was heartbreaking," he says. "Then comes the New Hampshire recovery friendly workplace initiative, and they're telling me that I can help to get employees into recovery and possibly come to an agreement on how they can return to work."
Bonta volunteered to represent his region of interested employers as a member of a recovery-friendly workplace (RFW) advisory council, and worked to have his organization designated as a RFW, which it achieved in January 2019. He notes that while there was a learning curve, the provided training and connections with experts helped guide his efforts, and he was soon helping employees who came forward in search of resources for their SUDs.
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Employers who offer SUD treatment and support resources have the opportunity to play a large role in rehabilitation, Bonta says. Organizations save money on absenteeism and productivity while increasing workers' chances of a successful recovery. Addictionhelp.com states that unlike trying to quit alone, seeking professional help can provide a more well-rounded program, including addressing mental health issues and putting a long-term plan in place.
Acknowledging that there is a stigma around SUDs, Bonta emphasizes that supporting someone's recovery is not the same as enabling an addiction. "Recovery friendly does not mean drug friendly," he says. "You can be a drug-free or a zero-tolerance workplace and still [offer] recovery from them. You want to support people who are making a positive change in their lives. That's not to say that you still can't help somebody that has an active SUD, because when you have the training that you get being recover friendly, that means you have access to resources where you can help someone get into recovery that hasn't had access."
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Becoming educated on SUD treatment also means understanding the day-to-day needs of employees going through this process, such as flexibility and transportation to attend meetings, screenings, and other obligations during work hours. Thanks to the increase in telehealth services, many employees can take part in meetings virtually now and just need a private space within the workplace, says Bonta.
The initiative's popularity has reached well beyond New Hampshire — there are now RWFs in 31 states, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Meanwhile, the need for increased employer participation cannot be overstated: Data from American Addiction Centers shows that nearly 50 million Americans ages 12 and older have a SUD, many of whom are employed full time. Bonta notes that a RFWs can also extend support to employees' dependents, further proving its commitment to the wellness of its workers and their families.
"When someone sees that an employer is giving them a shot, even though they know that they're struggling with something, they're going to have more loyalty to that employer, and they're going to be more productive in the long run," he says.
