Workplace substance abuse prevention and help seeking: comparing team-oriented and informational training

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Behavioral Science
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are underutilized due to workplace stigma and distrust.
• Barriers to seeking help for alcohol and drug (AOD) abuse include unhealthy work environments and lack of trust in EAPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of two distinct training interventions on EAP utilization and help-seeking behaviors among municipal employees.
• To compare the impact of informational EAP training versus integrated team-building and stress management training on AOD-related outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial involving 260 municipal employees assigned to informational training, integrated training, or a control group.
• Data collected via pre- and post-training surveys and a 6-month follow-up, assessing EAP knowledge, trust, help-seeking, and stigma.

Main Results:

• Integrated team training significantly increased group privacy, EAP trust, help-seeking, and peer encouragement.
• Informational training reduced the stigma associated with substance use.
• Both training types improved EAP/policy knowledge, while the control group showed minimal change.

Conclusions:

• Integrating team-building and stress management with informational content appears most effective for enhancing help-seeking and EAP utilization.
• Targeted workplace interventions can mitigate barriers to AOD support and improve employee well-being.