Start a conversation ↗

Description

Addiction and Substance Misuse: Identifying, Preventing and Supporting at Work

Breaking the silence on substance use without confusing collective prevention with individual judgement

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

An employee smelling of alcohol, repeated absences at the start of the week, medication that impairs alertness on a safety-critical post: line managers hesitate between saying nothing and imposing sanctions. Fear of being wrong or of stigmatising someone often leads to silence until an incident occurs. The respective roles of the manager, the occupational health provider and employee representatives remain unclear.

This short programme sets out the practical reference points on addictive behaviours and their effects in the workplace. It provides a clear course of action when behaviour gives cause for concern and draws the line between collective prevention and individual support.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish risky use from established dependence in a work context
  • Identify observable warning signs in the workplace without making a diagnosis
  • Adopt a clear course of action with an employee whose behaviour gives cause for concern
  • Position the role of each stakeholder in the organisation's approach to addiction prevention
  • Contribute to a prevention approach embedded in the risk assessment process

What makes this programme different

The course of action with an employee in difficulty is worked through step by step
The situations covered include medication and behavioural addictions, not only alcohol
The boundary between private life and workplace safety is set out without ambiguity

Programme

1Understanding addictive behaviours

Reference points to distinguish use from dependence

  • Mechanisms of addiction and the notion of loss of control
  • Substances involved, from alcohol to psychotropic medication
  • Behavioural addictions and problematic screen use
  • Effects on alertness, coordination and judgement
  • Consequences for safety on high-risk posts

2Identifying and responding to a situation

What to say and how far to go

  • Warning signs in behaviour and in work output
  • Preparing and conducting a fact-based conversation
  • Course of action in the event of visible impairment on the job
  • Limits of the manager's role and referral to occupational health

3Building collective prevention

Acting before the incident

  • Respective roles of the employer, employee representatives and occupational health
  • Place of the subject in internal policy and in the risk assessment
  • Work organisation and occupational factors that encourage consumption
  • Awareness initiatives tailored to the roles concerned

Who is it for

Line managers and human resources officers as well as employee representatives, safety practitioners and occupational health professionals.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.