HR Professional Underprepared To Address Opioid Addictions
Recent government studies have shown that opioid addiction in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. When in pain, people naturally will go to the doctor for a prescription when they are and in pain. If this class of medications is taken for just a short time, an opioid prescription can make a difference in the quality of life by alleviating pain. Over time, opioids change the brain chemistry and will raise tolerance for these drugs, causing addiction.
An article appearing on the Harford Business website cites a recent survey conducted by the insurer, The Hartford indicates that HR professionals are not ready to address the issues of opioids in the workplace. Some 2,000 US workers and 500 HR professionals determined that 67% of workplaces have already been impacted by the opioid crisis or expect to be in the future.
Some 65% of HR professionals indicated that the problem is having a financial impact on their organizations. Yet 76% of those workers and 65% of HR professionals who participated in the survey felt they weren’t confident in their ability to adequately identify the signs of opioid addiction. Only 18% said that they were very confident in identifying the signs of opioid addiction.
While we are a long way from solving the opioid crisis, Hartford CEO and Chairman Christopher Swift believes that if the business community joins together as a “united front”, it will be far easier to address issues to help treat those who are addicted to opioid and help in recovery and even prevention. As part of the initiative, the Hartford has partnered with Shatterproof.org , a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending the devastation that addiction causes to individuals and their families.
