By Professor Marcantonio Spada, Chief Clinical Officer, Onebright
As we approach Addiction Awareness Week 2025 (23-30 November), with its theme “Let’s Talk,” there has never been a more critical time for employers to confront an uncomfortable truth: addiction is already present in your workplace, affecting more employees than you might realise.
The data is disconcerting. An estimated 10 million people in England regularly exceed low-risk drinking guidelines, with around 600,000 dependent on alcohol. Beyond substance abuse, approximately one in eight people in the UK struggle with behavioural addictions—from gambling and gaming to problematic social media and pornography use.
The Power of Opening Up
The “Let’s Talk” theme couldn’t be more apt. For too long, addiction has been shrouded in silence and shame, creating an environment where employees suffer alone, their struggles invisible until crisis strikes. Yet 84% of alcohol-dependent people who need treatment aren’t receiving it, and 22% of those starting treatment for addictive behaviours aren’t getting help for their accompanying mental health needs.
This silence comes at an enormous cost—not just to individuals, but to organisations. Addiction doesn’t stay at home. It manifests in unexplained absences, declining performance, mood changes, and conduct issues. When employees feel unable to speak up, problems escalate from manageable to crisis-level, from early intervention to entrenched addiction.
Creating a culture where employees feel safe to be open about addiction issues isn’t just compassionate—it’s important. Early intervention, made possible only when people feel able to speak up, prevents the progression from problem behaviour to full-blown addiction.
Why Speaking Up Remains So Difficult
Despite growing awareness around mental health, addiction remains particularly stigmatised. Behavioural addictions are often dismissed as “just” bad habits or moral failings.
Problem drinking is normalised in many workplace cultures, making it harder for individuals to recognise their own patterns or feel justified in seeking help. The fear of professional consequences—being passed over for promotion, losing responsibilities, or damaging one’s reputation—keeps many suffering in silence.
For young men, who are disproportionately affected by fast-growing behavioural addictions, admitting vulnerability can feel at odds with workplace expectations.
Men are three times more likely than women to become addicted to video gaming for example, and substance misuse has historically been more prevalent among men. Yet traditional masculine norms around self-reliance and stoicism create additional barriers to seeking support.
What Employers Can Do
Supporting employees with addictions begins long before anyone walks through your door seeking help. It starts with dismantling the culture of silence.
Lead from the Top Down
Senior leaders must model openness about health and wellbeing, making it an organisational hallmark rather than an HR checkbox. When leadership demonstrates that seeking support is a sign of strength, it creates permission for others to do the same.
Educate and Upskill Managers
Line managers are often the first to notice changes in behaviour or performance. Training them to recognise the signs of both substance and behavioural addictions—from unexplained absences and erratic behaviour to constant phone interaction or emotional imbalance—equips them to approach conversations with empathy rather than disciplinary action. They should understand that addiction is a mental health condition requiring treatment, not a character flaw requiring punishment.
Create Multiple Channels for Communication
Not everyone will feel comfortable speaking with their line manager. Offer anonymous surveys to gauge employee wellbeing, provide access to external therapists or counsellors through employee assistance programmes, and ensure clinical mental health support is available. Crucially, ask employees what support they would find helpful—they are best placed to tell you what they need.
Implement Clear and Transparent Policies
Employees need to know what help is available and the exact form it takes before they are in crisis. A comprehensive policy outlining support options, how to access them, and assurances about confidentiality and job security can be the difference between someone seeking help early and struggling until intervention becomes unavoidable.
Monitor Mental Health Proactively
Regular check-ins, performance data reviews looking for patterns, and educational sessions can help identify issues early. One should bear in mind that 70% of those starting treatment for addictive behaviours also have mental health treatment needs. Addressing underlying anxiety, depression, or stress can prevent addictive coping mechanisms from taking hold.
Tackle the Root Causes
Creating a workplace culture that supports work-life balance, manages stress effectively, and addresses mental health concerns reduces the likelihood that employees will turn to substances or compulsive behaviours for relief.
The Path Forward
In this Addiction Awareness Week, the invitation to “Let’s Talk” is extended to all of us—not just those struggling with addiction, but the employers, colleagues, and leaders who have the power to create environments where such conversations can happen without fear.
The reality is that addiction grows in silence and shame. It retreats in the face of openness, understanding, and support. When we talk about addiction, we normalise help-seeking. We catch problems early, before they escalate. We save careers, relationships, and lives.
For employers, the question isn’t whether addiction exists in your workplace—it does. The question is whether your employees feel they can talk about it. This week, and every week, let us commit to making sure the answer is yes.
