New service offering to address hazardous use and addiction at the workplace

In 2022, it was estimated that around one million people engaged in the hazardous use of alcohol in Sweden, and 300,000 people have a developed alcohol addiction. Problems with alcohol can lead to greater ill health and absence from work, as well as an elevated risk of accidents, work-related injuries, loss of productivity and suffering.

Falck offers the following workplace support for hazardous use and addiction:

• Training
• Support in developing policies and guidelines
• Anonymous counselling for employees
• Manager counselling and support
• Support for the entire work group
• Investigations and assessments to cast light on types of use and recommendations for further action

“Systematic work environment management includes the monitoring of issues related to addiction and the hazardous use of both alcohol and drugs. It is important that there are policies and guidelines in place at the workplace and that employees are familiar with these. So with that in mind, it feels great that we can present a comprehensive support offering to our customers within an area that can be both difficult and challenging to address,” says Ann Berntsdotter, Occupational Health Physician at Falck.

Preventive work relating to drugs and alcohol

Falck’s services and expertise within drugs and addiction can offer support to individual employees, managers and the entire work group. We can guide you in your preventive work and offer support if hazardous use or addiction are suspected.  Among other things, we offer a telephone hotline that both managers and employees can use for advice on matters relating to their own alcohol and drug use or that of others.

“Manager counselling is offered to give managers the opportunity to ask questions and to explore their thoughts and deliberations in relation to preventive work, suspicions or known problem cases. For example, it can be difficult for employers to know when and how to act when they have suspicions around drug or alcohol use at work. This is an effective way to move forwards with the issue.”

Another aspect is the support offered to the entire work group – a group that is often forgotten as focus tends to fall mainly on the individual at the centre of the issue. By drawing on support from Falck, it is possible to achieve or restore balance in a work group that may have been going through a difficult situation for an extended period.