Recovery Ready Workplaces benefit from a healthier, more productive, and more motivated workforce. They gain a reputation among current and potential employees as a positive and supportive place to work.

RESOURCES

Below are several resources to learn more about RRW.

What is Substance Use Disorder?

What is Recovery?

Business Benefits of RRW

RRW Employee FAQS

RRW Employer Guide

Request More Information

HOW CAN MY BUSINESS BECOME RECOVERY READY

MassHire Holyoke is proud to offer educational and logistical support and coaching to local employers who wish to become recovery ready workplaces. Simply complete the interest form and one of our recovery liaisons will be in touch to help you get started.

The recovery liaison will take you thought a flexible process that includes:

  • An orientation
  • An assessment of your organization’s recovery readiness
  • A planning and implementation process
  • Continuous support

Our goal is to create a culture of recovery. A culture of recovery is one that encourages health and wellness and provides support and non-judgmental openness to all aspects of employees’ lives. A culture of recovery prioritizes physical and mental health and safety. You can create a culture of recovery through any of the following actions.

Fear of judgement, punishment, and misunderstanding leads many people in recovery to feel shame and embarrassment about their past SUD. You can communicate through your words, actions, and policies that you support people in recovery and that stigmatizing language and behavior about addiction are unacceptable in your workplace.

Recovering from addiction is hard and admirable work! Encourage your leadership and staff in recovery to share their stories of recovery if they are comfortable doing so. Shift people’s perspective from one of shame about addiction to one of pride about recovery. Celebrate recovery whenever you hear about it.

Consider an informal or formal “open door” policy that states that employees can come to their managers, HR, or a designated recovery point person for help with addiction without the fear of punishment and for connection to appropriate services. This can be done through an employee assistance program (EAP) and/or relationships with local service providers.

Work-related social events can be incredibly stressful for people in recovery. Make sure that your team-building and social events are not focused on providing alcohol. A group hike, outdoor games, or problem-solving task like an escape room beat a brewery tour, wine-tasting, or group mixer for making your employees in recovery feel supported. If you are hosting an event that may involve alcohol or marijuana, tell your employees ahead of time and don’t require them to attend. A quick Google search for ideas for alcohol-free work events produces thousands of results.

Recovery is maintained as part of a healthy lifestyle. Make your workplace one that encourages employee health and wellness through things like gym membership reimbursement, company-based sports clubs (e.g., softball, running club), or volunteer groups at fundraising races and other events, for instance.

Consider a “lunch break walking group,” after-hours yoga on-site, or other healthy activities your employees can participate in. Check out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Workplace Health Resource Center for ideas on engaging employees in their health and wellness.

Train supervisors to identify warning signs of recurrence and to help communicate with employees to support their recovery. There are some clear warning signs that one of your employees may be using drugs or alcohol. The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) offers a useful list of signs of intoxication to watch for at work (see page 9): https://bit.ly/3olXBkd

Are You Interested in Becoming a Recovery Ready Workplace?

Complete Our Interest Form

Questions?
Contact Ramona
413-427-3498
rreno@masshireholyoke.org

Housing Management Resources
Housing Management Resources