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CoRE Launches Guidance on Building Recovery Friendly Workplaces

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2025

Calgary, Alberta – The Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE) is proud to welcome industry leaders, occupational health and safety experts, and Alberta’s Minister of Mental Health and Addiction to the launch of “Recovery-Friendly Workplaces: Recommendations for Employers, Employees, and the Occupational Medicine Community.” This expert-informed guidance document promotes practical initiatives to foster and sustain recovery in safety-sensitive and decision-critical workplaces.

“We strive to create a society where people in recovery are not only accepted but supported in their everyday life and given resources to continue in their journey. The work CoRE and its partners have done is an important step that builds on existing policies and lays the groundwork for more organizations to create recovery-friendly workplaces. I support this call to action for all employers to embrace recovery as a strength and to implement policies that create opportunities for employees to thrive,” said Minister Dan Williams, Alberta’s Minister of Mental Health and Addiction.

The guidance highlights how workplaces can shift from viewing recovery as a deficit to recognizing it as a strength. It outlines practical strategies for employers to support employees in recovery, including education to reduce stigma, policies that encourage people to ask for help and recovery-focused recruitment and retention practices. By adopting these recovery-friendly practices, organizations can benefit from healthier, more engaged employees, reduced absenteeism, and access to a broader talent pool.

“Most people who struggle with their mental health or with substance use remain gainfully employed. They can be found in every occupational sector, including safety-sensitive or decision-critical jobs,” said Dr. Charl Els, co-author. “Work is an integral part of human life. We know that good work is positive for psychological health. Beyond providing a means of earning a living, it adds to a sense of identity, self-worth and purpose in life. Employers who make a conscious decision to support recovery thereby support workers and their ability to work,” added Dr. Sebastian Straube, co-author.

The concept of “Recovery Capital” is central to this guidance. Recovery capital refers to the internal and external resources that individuals draw upon to support their recovery. A recovery-friendly workplace enhances these resources by creating an environment that fosters connection, hope, identity, meaning, and empowerment—all critical components of the recovery journey.

Safety-sensitive industries in Alberta are recognizing the importance of addressing mental health and addiction challenges on the job. These industries are leading the way by implementing recovery-focused policies that ensure workers have the support they need to thrive.

“CoRE collaborated with industry leaders who understand the importance of supporting recovery in safety-sensitive workplaces and will continue to implement recovery-focused policies and procedures in their respective companies. We thank them for their input and feedback on this initial expert-informed guidance document,” said Kym Kaufmann, CEO of the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence.

The guidance also provides a clear business case for recovery-friendly workplaces. Research shows that recovery-friendly policies result in healthier employees, reduced safety risks, increased productivity, and lower turnover rates. Employers who embrace recovery principles will also have increased access to talent, including individuals with lived experience who bring resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills to their roles.

Recovery-friendly workplaces are about more than policy changes—they represent a fundamental cultural shift. These workplaces reduce stigma, promote help-seeking behavior, and ensure employees in recovery feel supported in their professional journeys.

Next Steps and Availability

Recovery-Friendly Workplaces: Recommendations for Employers, Employees, and the Occupational Medicine Community will be available to view on the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence website after it is published. Organizations interested in implementing recovery-friendly policies are encouraged to access the summary document available here. Feedback on the paper is welcome from any interested stakeholders until March 1, 2025. Input can be directed to Dr. Charl Els at cels@ualberta.ca.

Further position papers are being developed by Dr. Els and Dr. Straube, on topics such as the benefits of work, recognizing impairment, drug and alcohol workplace policies, setting boundaries, recovery friendly campuses, recovery friendly work camps and cannabis in safety-sensitive workplaces.

About CoRE

The Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE) is a Crown corporation established by the Alberta government and based in Calgary that empowers decision-makers with data and evidence to support people with mental illness or addiction in their pursuit of recovery. CoRE advances its work through system level applied research and evaluation; comprehensive data and analytics; expert advice and clinical guidance; and leadership and collaboration to enable the best possible outcomes for Albertans. With objectivity and a commitment to real-world impact, CoRE guides government, healthcare communities, and global leaders toward effective recovery-focused mental health and addiction services.

Media Contact:

Katy Merrifield

Executive Director, Communications and Engagement

Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence

Phone: (604) 868-0424

Email: katy.merrifield@recoveryexcellence.org

Backgrounder – Stakeholder Quotes

Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC): “Supporting employees in recovery is not just the right thing to do—it strengthens our workforce, families and communities. CLAC is committed to ensuring workers have the resources and policies in place to foster long-term success in their recovery journey.” – Dennis Perrin, Prairies Director

Independent Contractors and Business Association (ICBA): “ICBA is proud to support this important work. Many construction workers still fit the “strong silent” profile and may not find it easy to open up about mental wellness-related issues. We are working to break down those barriers through our Workplace Wellness Program, and this guidance will help create lasting culture change. Recovery-friendly workplaces are a logical next step to ensure workers facing addiction have the support they need to succeed in their careers.” – Mike Martens, President, ICBA Alberta

Building Trades of Alberta (BTA): “Our workers are subject to unpredictable schedules, long hours, remote jobsites, and physically demanding work that contributes to mental health and substance use issues. Our ‘Building Resiliency’ program has shown us firsthand the impact of a collaborative effort between workers, trade unions and contractors to address mental health, addiction, and recovery support in the workplace. CoRE’s new guidelines align with Building Resiliency’s framework that focuses on removing workplace barriers and raising awareness about mental health, addiction, and recovery support that could save lives.” – Ian Robb, Former Board Chair, BTA

Association of Maintenance Contractors of Canada (AMCC): “Workers in the industrial maintenance sector face unique challenges when it comes to mental health and addiction. Building Resiliency’s program, which aligns with CORE’s guidance document, is a practical roadmap to implement meaningful mental health, addiction, and recovery support systems on jobsites.”Ken Sandmoen, AMCC Board Chair

Alberta Construction Association (ACA): “Creating recovery-friendly workplaces benefits everyone—employers, employees, and the industry as a whole. By reducing stigma and promoting a culture of support, we can cultivate a healthier, more productive workforce.” –  Warren Singh, Executive Director

These statistics underline the significant human and economic costs of untreated mental and substance-related disorders and the benefits of implementing recovery-friendly workplace policies.

Backgrounder – Key Statistics

Global Statistics on Mental and Substance-Related Disorders
  • 15% of working-age adults worldwide suffered from a mental disorder in 2019, according to the WHO’s International Labour Organization.
  • 301 million individuals globally are living with anxiety.
  • 280 million individuals globally are living with depression.
  • 703,000 individuals died by suicide in 2019.
  • Approximately 12 billion working days are lost each year due to depression and anxiety, resulting in around $1 trillion USD in lost productivity annually.
Canadian Statistics on Mental and Substance-Related Disorders
  • 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental disorder in any given year.
  • The lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in Canada is approximately 50% by age 40.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decline in mental health, especially among youth, and resulted in increased alcohol consumption and substance use.
Workplace and Recovery Statistics
  • Between 10% and 20% of employees use substances hazardously or have a substance use disorder.
  • 9% to 10% of employees have previously used substances problematically but are now in recovery.
  • Employees in recovery are generally healthier, more productive, and miss fewer workdays compared to those with untreated substance-related disorders.
  • Recovery capital (RC) derived from employment positively contributes to an individual’s recovery in most cases.
Economic Impact of Workplace Recovery Initiatives
  • Employers stand to save $8,500 annually per employee by fostering recovery-friendly workplace policies, according to NORC research.

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