This company needs workers so badly it's putting them through drug rehab

[IronLionZion]

http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/22/news/economy/employers-opioid-rehab-belden/index.html

This past winter, John Stroup had a problem.
Roughly one out of 10 applicants for jobs at his factory in Richmond, Indiana, had failed their drug tests, disqualifying them for employment at the safety-conscious company. A handful of the 450 people already working there had failed random drug tests as well. With opioids ravaging the region, the CEO of Belden Inc. was short-staffed while orders for the company's computer networking equipment were pouring in.

"Now that we're seeing a bit of a manufacturing renaissance, unfortunately we don't have the qualified labor that we need, and we have this terrible epidemic," says Stroup.

It's a challenge confronting employers across America. Drugs are sapping a workforce already spread thin across a tight job market. Factories are particularly affected, with high overdose rates concentrated in counties that have a greater number of manufacturing jobs, according to an analysis by the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation.

Some employers have dealt with the opioid crisis by altering their insurance contracts to discourage physicians from prescribing addictive painkillers, a survey by the National Business Group on Health found. Many also offer Employee Assistance Plans, which generally cover a few sessions of counseling.

For Stroup, the decision was a simple cost-benefit analysis: How much would it cost to help people get sober in this Rust Belt town of 37,000, compared to what he was losing by not having them available to work?

After a few meetings with board members and addiction experts, he came up with a plan. If an applicant or a current employee failed a drug test, but they still wanted the job, Belden would pay for an evaluation at a local substance abuse treatment center.

This is quite an incentive. Sounds like a win-win for workers and the company.

[Hoyt]

1. I like the idea too.

Another quote from the article:

"Louis Hubble, who has worked at Belden for 35 years, lost his sister to a drug overdose and has seen people fired for drug use. "When they first told us about it, I was about ready to jump up and cheer," he said. "I think a lot of what will help is that sense of hope. As long as they have that as a motivation, that helps drive their wanting to get better.""

[Lee-Lee]

2. My company has lost way too many good workers to this

Either they turn up hot on the drug test or they get arrested for an offense with opioids, either of which will be a complete disqualification for employment with us.

And I’m talking people making 2x-3x the median wage for this area with amazing benefits and a great place to work. They end up shortly after losing homes, cars and marriages because they can’t come close to replacing the income.

It’s amazing the power the stuff has to destroy.

[IronLionZion]

3. "people who make it through recovery are some of the most diligent and loyal employees"

On the other hand, Miller says, people who make it through recovery are some of the most diligent and loyal employees he knows. That's what Stroup is hoping, too: Even with the heavy investment up front, helping someone get well could pay dividends down the road.

So valuing your people is good for business? Damn! Who knew?