A manager or colleague may notice that somebody seems different from usual. They may be arriving late, making more mistakes, becoming withdrawn, behaving unpredictably or struggling with work that they normally manage well.
Those changes matter, particularly where safety or somebody's ability to do their job is affected. But they do not tell us why the change has happened.
Stress, physical illness, medication, bereavement, mental health difficulties, caring pressures, poor sleep and many other circumstances can look similar from the outside. Substance use may be one possibility, but it should not become the automatic explanation.
Notice the change, not the diagnosis
What you might reasonably notice
- repeated or unexplained absence or lateness
- a marked change in behaviour or communication
- mistakes, reduced performance or difficulty concentrating
- accidents, near misses or other safety concerns
- changes in appearance or presentation
- conduct that is unusual for the person or affecting other people
What those signs do not establish
- that alcohol or drugs are the cause
- which substance, if any, somebody may be using
- whether use is occasional, problematic or dependent
- that somebody has an addiction
- what is happening in the person's life outside work
- what support or action will be appropriate before you have spoken to them
If a conversation is needed, it is usually better to start with the specific change or incident that has prompted concern.
A manager might say that they have noticed several recent absences, a change in performance or an incident that raised a safety concern. That gives the person something concrete to respond to.
Starting with "I think you have a drinking problem" or "Are you taking drugs?" makes a much bigger assumption. It can put somebody on the defensive and may turn the conversation into an argument about the label rather than a discussion about what is happening.
The purpose of an initial conversation is not to prove substance use. It is to understand the concern more clearly, hear the employee's perspective and decide what needs to happen next.
Some workplaces involve driving, machinery, clinical responsibilities, working at height or other safety-critical activity. In those situations, concerns about impairment cannot simply be left for a later wellbeing conversation.
If somebody appears unable to work safely, the immediate priority is to manage the risk in line with the organisation's procedures. That is different from deciding why the person is impaired or whether they have a substance-use problem.
A workplace can take a safety concern seriously while still avoiding assumptions about its cause.
Once any immediate risk has been dealt with, the wider conversation can take place more privately and calmly.
Privacy matters
Substance use can carry considerable stigma, and employees may be particularly cautious about discussing it at work if they fear judgement, gossip or automatic disciplinary action.
A conversation should therefore take place as privately as possible and information should only be shared where there is a legitimate reason to do so.
Managers also need to be clear about the limits of confidentiality. There may be circumstances involving safety, safeguarding, organisational policy or legal responsibilities where information cannot simply remain between two people.
Being clear about those boundaries is more useful than promising complete confidentiality and then discovering that the promise cannot be kept.
Use the workplace policy as a framework
An organisation's alcohol, drug, health and safety, absence or wellbeing policies can help managers respond consistently rather than improvising when a difficult situation arises.
A good policy should make clear what the organisation expects, what happens when safety or conduct is affected and what routes to support are available. Managers and supervisors also need to know what to do if somebody tells them directly that they are experiencing difficulties with alcohol or drugs.
The response may involve occupational health, a GP, specialist substance-use support, an employee assistance programme or another appropriate service, depending on what is available and what the person needs.
The manager's role is not to become a substance-use specialist. It is to deal fairly with the workplace issue, understand the limits of their role and help the person towards appropriate support where that is needed.
Support and accountability can sit together
Taking a supportive approach does not mean ignoring behaviour that is unsafe or seriously affecting work.
An employee can be treated with dignity while an organisation still addresses attendance, performance, conduct or safety concerns. Equally, a workplace response does not have to begin from the assumption that somebody is irresponsible or unwilling to change.
Keeping those two things separate can help. One conversation may need to address what is happening at work. Another part of the response may be about what support the person needs.
That distinction makes it easier to respond to the actual situation rather than to stereotypes about substance use.
Why assumptions matter
People with current or past experience of problematic substance use can encounter stigma at work long after any immediate difficulty has passed. Labels and assumptions can affect trust, progression, relationships with colleagues and whether somebody feels safe asking for help.
Current Scottish guidance encourages employers to use non-judgemental, inclusive language and not define people by their substance use.
For a manager or colleague, that starts with a fairly simple discipline: notice what is happening, ask rather than assume, and keep the conversation focused on the person and the situation in front of you.
