Worker Wellness Blog: Recovery Friendly Workplaces
Date Posted: August 1, 2023
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas, Workforce,
by Dr. John Gaal
Editor’s Note: Each week, Dr. John Gaal, director of worker wellness for the Missouri Works Initiative, a non-profit workforce formed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, collects and comments on news and trends in workforce wellness and life balance. Construction Forum will be carrying the Worker Wellness & Well-Being Blog as a regular feature.
The MO Works Initiative focuses on creating healthy and recovery friendly workplaces; connecting laid-off workers with job-search or upskilling resources for future employment; and collaborating with community partners to offer innovative points of entry to traditional apprenticeship opportunities.
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from how big pharma is using the US legal system to skirt their obligations to assist the communities that they helped destroy; to how the songs of birds can aid in easing your anxiety; to the importance of creating apprenticeships across all industrial sectors in order to address today’s workforce shortages.
Today, I wish to shed some light on the issue of Recovery Friendly Workplaces (RFW). On August 10, 2023, University of Missouri- Extension will be holding a summit in Columbia, MO (live and virtual) showcasing the work they have accomplished in this arena over the last ~3 years. As noted in related articles below, people who are in MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) recovery have proven to be some of the most loyal and productive employees.
In Missouri alone, we have nearly 29,000 working-age people in MOUD recovery (of which approximately 3800 are people with construction skills), and yet industries across the spectrum continue to ring the “workforce shortage” warning bell. The aforementioned event will allow interested employers to network with firms that have created safe environments for workers in MOUD recovery. The bottom line: Isn’t it about time we consider giving people a 2nd, 3rd, or maybe even a 4th chance?
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: moworksinitiative.org/blog
Sources:
https://extension.missouri.edu/events/recovery-friendly-workplace-reimagining-today-s-workforce
https://fortune.com/2023/07/27/opioid-recovery-friendly-workplace-culture-tips/
https://fortune.com/longform/drug-addiction-recovery-workplace-support/