Addictive Diseases In The Workplace: A Case Study
Title
Recognizing Addictive Behaviors in the Workplace
Background
The organization that we are working for is called Live. Laugh. Hope. The organization was founded in 2014 by and was a dream of theirs for many years. They both share a passion for educating and assisting people in becoming free of unhealthy addiction. Based on personal experiences, we determined there was a need for this in our community as we have both been touched by addictive diseases. The main focus of the organization is a non-profit rehabilitation center that is funded through community donation and partnering with supporting businesses. To help give back to the community for the support they have given, our organization also provides external training to help employees …show more content…
recognize addictive behaviors and to help employees with addictive behaviors seek help. One of the main objectives of the organization is to help people with this addictive disease refocus those tendencies in a healthy way.
Needs Assessment
Organization analysis
Live. Laugh. Hope.’s mission is to educate our employees, volunteers, and the surrounding community of how to recognize and intervene with negative addictions. A negative addiction is any behavior that impedes on an individual’s healthy life style or has an exponentially negative impact on activities of daily living. We partner with local companies and organizations and train their employees how to recognize these negative addictions. Giving training to their employees results in the funding we need to run our rehabilitation center. Being the founders of this organization, we hire management who have similar views and passions for the cause. Since this training is at the core of our mission, we will have full support.
Person analysis
We have decided that in order to fund our organization we need to provide training and resources to businesses in the area our organization works with. We have leaders from the community come to us seeking to better their employee’s knowledge of addictive behaviors in the workplace. Nearly everyone can think of a situation in which they dealt with negative addictions either in their personal or professional lives. People are more likely to willfully engage in training if they have had personal experiences with the issue. According to the Coalition Against Drug Abuse, 74.8% of people with substance abuse are active participants in the workplace. This statistic shows that employees should be knowledgeable of the warning signs and symptoms of substance abuse. Employee’s will not feel threatened during this training, as it is presented as general knowledge and addictions are seen as a true disability and not personality flaws.
Task analysis
We would like employees from all industry backgrounds to be educated about the effects of negative addictions and how to positively impact those situations. As we previously mentioned many people have been impacted by someone with a negative addiction whether it be substance abuse or any other harmful behavior. With this knowledge, we can deduce that it is a known as a common issue in American society. Employees need to have the knowledge of warning signs of workplace addiction, specifically substance abuse. Such changes in behavior include increased aggression, lethargy, and depression are behavioral symptoms of substance abuse. More specifically pressure points that have been identified in the workplace due to these issues include poor performance, lack of motivation, and increased absenteeism. These things can affect workplace morale, productivity, and other workplace stress inducers. We know that there are a significant amount of people with negative addictions in the workplace who need help in overcoming these addictions.
In order for this training to be affective, the trainees must have basic skills in communication and have an aptitude of compassionate behavior. Seeing as these are basic skills seen in most adults, we believe they apply to most people.
Gap:
There are many reasons we feel training on this subject is necessary, one of the main reasons is unfamiliarity. We have seen that many do not know there is an issue and if they do they lack the ability to recognize the warning signs and address the issue. Once employees have completed our training, they will be provided with the skills to intervene in these difficult situation or to seek help for the affected individuals.
Learning theories
To ensure the most effective training possible, we have determined a few learning theories that should be utilized during training. Masolow’s needs theory tells us that employees need to have their basic needs met. As trainers, we will provide refreshments for the trainees and also measure other factors such as temperature, lighting, and room arrangement while allowing for breaks during our session. According to McLelland human beings must feel they have affiliation and affirmation. In order to ensure this, we will be doing an ice breaker where we ask the members of our training session how many of them have been affected, either directly or indirectly, has been affected by this disease.
While this training is in progress, we will keep in mind the adult learning theory also. By creating a problem centered approach for trainees and giving them meaningful objectives and content, we can ensure they will take in the information. Giving them some statistical information on the how this problem affects every day work environments, they will realize that it may surround them and that it is an issue that needs to be addressed.
By educating these trainees on the issue while showing our compassion and desire to heal or change other people’s lives for the better, we believe the social learning theory will come into play. We will show through videos and lecture success stories of people who have fought addiction and this by sharing personal experiences, they will feel we are knowledgeable and credible sources of information.
Transfer of training
An important aspect of the training process is guaranteeing the training will remain with the individuals. The skills that we are providing have low fidelity so they will be able to utilize them in any situation that may occur. While we understand some of the information we will give is high fidelity, we will ensure that our main focus will be more broad. The first thing will do to ensure transfer of training is to review and repeat topics consistently in between the newly introduced information. A reminder card will also be provided to the trainees with some information to help refresh their memories after the training and resources they can consult if run into these situations.
Training Methods – Training Content
For our training we will use multiple methods. In order to maximize the learning process and transfer of training we will be using lecture, video, and action learning. The lecture method will be used because it communicates to the trainee’s clear objectives and it gives them the opportunity to communicate with us as the trainers by asking questions during the training session. Lecture is a low cost form of training method which is important because as we try to allocate as much of our resources towards helping actual community members with their addictions as possible. We will combining two other training methods in order to most effectively serve our trainees. We will show a portion of the previously mentioned video that introduces a problem and will then have trainees solve the problem as a team and come up with an action plan. This method is called action learning and in this case, has a low cost and the learning outcomes often result in high meaningfulness while the learning environment provides a chance for feedback and clear objectives; this can also help to act as an ice breaker.
Evaluation Techniques
We will use several techniques for the evaluation of our training session.
We will evaluate the trainees’ reactions to our training program by giving them a questionnaire that will ask them how they felt about the material (Appendix 1). By using a formative method to evaluate the training program, we can ensure that the trainees are learning, that the program ran smoothly, and we can determine if the trainees were satisfied with the program.
To identify if trainees have acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes from our training program we will provide them with a pre-test and a post-test to measure their awareness of the problem and their problem solving abilities (Appendix 2). This will be a part of our summative evaluation.
Objectives:
To educate the community
The help learn the skills needed to recognize negative …show more content…
addiction
To help learn the skills needed to intervene in these situations
To reach our objectives, we will educate our employees on the symptoms of the abuse of the five most commonly abused substances. We feel it is most important for employees to learn how to identify these symptoms as the co-workers of those doing the abuse are the most likely to notice and be affected by the behaviors.
The first and most widely abused substance we will educate our trainees on is alcohol.
When abuse of this substance is occurring, abusers may show signs of frequent hangovers, binge drinking, and have alcohol scented clothing and belongings. To co-workers, these abusers may seem lethargic, and may boast of their drinking habits after hours. The next is marijuana also known as cannabis, Mary Jane, or weed. Symptoms of marijuana abuse may include dilated pupils or bloodshot eyes, short term memory loss, a sudden decrease of motivation, and small burns on the ends of the thumbs and forefingers. The third substance we will address is the most addictive and dangerous drug a person can abuse is heroine which is a narcotic. People using it can become addicted after their first use of the drug and it may be injected through veins so a symptom may be needle marks on the arm. More symptoms include weight loss and inflamed tissue around the needle sites. Next we will discuss methamphetamines which are a powerful stimulant in users. Workers may use them to get a rush of energy and a symptom may be a crash between uses as well as a twitch and paranoia. Also, meth abusers tend to have aggressive outbursts and sudden weight loss; 2.4% of high school seniors have tried meth before they graduate. The last drug we will address is the most often over-looked which is prescription drugs. Physical signs are often well hidden but someone frequently visiting the doctor because of pain and
requesting drugs or those who take well above the recommended usage of over the counter drugs may be abusing them.
While one of our objectives is to show how to intervene in an abusive situation, the only way to truly help is by reporting them to either a rehabilitation center or management so they can address the problem according to their policies.
We will then show the rest of our video which ends on a more positive note and reiterate our objectives and what the trainees should have learned.
Recognizing Addictive Behaviors in the Workplace
Background
The organization that we are working for is called Live. Laugh. Hope. The organization was founded in 2014 by and was a dream of theirs for many years. They both share a passion for educating and assisting people in becoming free of unhealthy addiction. Based on personal experiences, we determined there was a need for this in our community as we have both been touched by addictive diseases. The main focus of the organization is a non-profit rehabilitation center that is funded through community donation and partnering with supporting businesses. To help give back to the community for the support they have given, our organization also provides external training to help employees …show more content…
recognize addictive behaviors and to help employees with addictive behaviors seek help. One of the main objectives of the organization is to help people with this addictive disease refocus those tendencies in a healthy way.
Needs Assessment
Organization analysis
Live. Laugh. Hope.’s mission is to educate our employees, volunteers, and the surrounding community of how to recognize and intervene with negative addictions. A negative addiction is any behavior that impedes on an individual’s healthy life style or has an exponentially negative impact on activities of daily living. We partner with local companies and organizations and train their employees how to recognize these negative addictions. Giving training to their employees results in the funding we need to run our rehabilitation center. Being the founders of this organization, we hire management who have similar views and passions for the cause. Since this training is at the core of our mission, we will have full support.
Person analysis
We have decided that in order to fund our organization we need to provide training and resources to businesses in the area our organization works with. We have leaders from the community come to us seeking to better their employee’s knowledge of addictive behaviors in the workplace. Nearly everyone can think of a situation in which they dealt with negative addictions either in their personal or professional lives. People are more likely to willfully engage in training if they have had personal experiences with the issue. According to the Coalition Against Drug Abuse, 74.8% of people with substance abuse are active participants in the workplace. This statistic shows that employees should be knowledgeable of the warning signs and symptoms of substance abuse. Employee’s will not feel threatened during this training, as it is presented as general knowledge and addictions are seen as a true disability and not personality flaws.
Task analysis
We would like employees from all industry backgrounds to be educated about the effects of negative addictions and how to positively impact those situations. As we previously mentioned many people have been impacted by someone with a negative addiction whether it be substance abuse or any other harmful behavior. With this knowledge, we can deduce that it is a known as a common issue in American society. Employees need to have the knowledge of warning signs of workplace addiction, specifically substance abuse. Such changes in behavior include increased aggression, lethargy, and depression are behavioral symptoms of substance abuse. More specifically pressure points that have been identified in the workplace due to these issues include poor performance, lack of motivation, and increased absenteeism. These things can affect workplace morale, productivity, and other workplace stress inducers. We know that there are a significant amount of people with negative addictions in the workplace who need help in overcoming these addictions.
In order for this training to be affective, the trainees must have basic skills in communication and have an aptitude of compassionate behavior. Seeing as these are basic skills seen in most adults, we believe they apply to most people.
Gap:
There are many reasons we feel training on this subject is necessary, one of the main reasons is unfamiliarity. We have seen that many do not know there is an issue and if they do they lack the ability to recognize the warning signs and address the issue. Once employees have completed our training, they will be provided with the skills to intervene in these difficult situation or to seek help for the affected individuals.
Learning theories
To ensure the most effective training possible, we have determined a few learning theories that should be utilized during training. Masolow’s needs theory tells us that employees need to have their basic needs met. As trainers, we will provide refreshments for the trainees and also measure other factors such as temperature, lighting, and room arrangement while allowing for breaks during our session. According to McLelland human beings must feel they have affiliation and affirmation. In order to ensure this, we will be doing an ice breaker where we ask the members of our training session how many of them have been affected, either directly or indirectly, has been affected by this disease.
While this training is in progress, we will keep in mind the adult learning theory also. By creating a problem centered approach for trainees and giving them meaningful objectives and content, we can ensure they will take in the information. Giving them some statistical information on the how this problem affects every day work environments, they will realize that it may surround them and that it is an issue that needs to be addressed.
By educating these trainees on the issue while showing our compassion and desire to heal or change other people’s lives for the better, we believe the social learning theory will come into play. We will show through videos and lecture success stories of people who have fought addiction and this by sharing personal experiences, they will feel we are knowledgeable and credible sources of information.
Transfer of training
An important aspect of the training process is guaranteeing the training will remain with the individuals. The skills that we are providing have low fidelity so they will be able to utilize them in any situation that may occur. While we understand some of the information we will give is high fidelity, we will ensure that our main focus will be more broad. The first thing will do to ensure transfer of training is to review and repeat topics consistently in between the newly introduced information. A reminder card will also be provided to the trainees with some information to help refresh their memories after the training and resources they can consult if run into these situations.
Training Methods – Training Content
For our training we will use multiple methods. In order to maximize the learning process and transfer of training we will be using lecture, video, and action learning. The lecture method will be used because it communicates to the trainee’s clear objectives and it gives them the opportunity to communicate with us as the trainers by asking questions during the training session. Lecture is a low cost form of training method which is important because as we try to allocate as much of our resources towards helping actual community members with their addictions as possible. We will combining two other training methods in order to most effectively serve our trainees. We will show a portion of the previously mentioned video that introduces a problem and will then have trainees solve the problem as a team and come up with an action plan. This method is called action learning and in this case, has a low cost and the learning outcomes often result in high meaningfulness while the learning environment provides a chance for feedback and clear objectives; this can also help to act as an ice breaker.
Evaluation Techniques
We will use several techniques for the evaluation of our training session.
We will evaluate the trainees’ reactions to our training program by giving them a questionnaire that will ask them how they felt about the material (Appendix 1). By using a formative method to evaluate the training program, we can ensure that the trainees are learning, that the program ran smoothly, and we can determine if the trainees were satisfied with the program.
To identify if trainees have acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes from our training program we will provide them with a pre-test and a post-test to measure their awareness of the problem and their problem solving abilities (Appendix 2). This will be a part of our summative evaluation.
Objectives:
To educate the community
The help learn the skills needed to recognize negative …show more content…
addiction
To help learn the skills needed to intervene in these situations
To reach our objectives, we will educate our employees on the symptoms of the abuse of the five most commonly abused substances. We feel it is most important for employees to learn how to identify these symptoms as the co-workers of those doing the abuse are the most likely to notice and be affected by the behaviors.
The first and most widely abused substance we will educate our trainees on is alcohol.
When abuse of this substance is occurring, abusers may show signs of frequent hangovers, binge drinking, and have alcohol scented clothing and belongings. To co-workers, these abusers may seem lethargic, and may boast of their drinking habits after hours. The next is marijuana also known as cannabis, Mary Jane, or weed. Symptoms of marijuana abuse may include dilated pupils or bloodshot eyes, short term memory loss, a sudden decrease of motivation, and small burns on the ends of the thumbs and forefingers. The third substance we will address is the most addictive and dangerous drug a person can abuse is heroine which is a narcotic. People using it can become addicted after their first use of the drug and it may be injected through veins so a symptom may be needle marks on the arm. More symptoms include weight loss and inflamed tissue around the needle sites. Next we will discuss methamphetamines which are a powerful stimulant in users. Workers may use them to get a rush of energy and a symptom may be a crash between uses as well as a twitch and paranoia. Also, meth abusers tend to have aggressive outbursts and sudden weight loss; 2.4% of high school seniors have tried meth before they graduate. The last drug we will address is the most often over-looked which is prescription drugs. Physical signs are often well hidden but someone frequently visiting the doctor because of pain and
requesting drugs or those who take well above the recommended usage of over the counter drugs may be abusing them.
While one of our objectives is to show how to intervene in an abusive situation, the only way to truly help is by reporting them to either a rehabilitation center or management so they can address the problem according to their policies.
We will then show the rest of our video which ends on a more positive note and reiterate our objectives and what the trainees should have learned.