ABC Joins Roundtable on Addiction Recovery-Ready Workplaces

Associated Builders and Contractors today participated in a White House-sponsored roundtable discussion, “Recovery in the Workplace: Investing to Build the Workforce of Tomorrow,” which convened more than a dozen corporations, business groups and government leaders at the White House in Washington, D.C., to highlight the importance of recovery-ready and recovery-friendly workplaces and share best practices.

Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development, discussed ABC’s Total Human Health Initiative at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s National Recovery Month Roundtable. At the roundtable, ABC committed to a Recovery Friendly Workplace Certification, explore incorporating it into ABC’s STEP Safety Management System and encouraging its 67 chapters and more than 23,000 member companies to also become certified as recovery-friendly workplaces.

“The construction industry has long been influenced by the outdated mentality that workers should simply ‘suck it up,’ creating a barrier for employees to discuss personal challenges while on the job,” said Sizemore. “To overcome this, we must shift our mindset and foster a caring culture that promotes not only a safe but also a healthy workplace.”

Sizemore added it requires a deliberate effort to break down the barriers that have been built up over the years. “This involves encouraging peer-to-peer accountability and sharing success stories—whether they involve addiction recovery or simply improving quality of life,” he said.

ABC members’ most valuable asset is hardworking, dedicated and skilled workers. Construction workers need the right tools to address mental health, addiction and suicide prevention. ABC developed its Total Human Health Initiative to help contractors keep workers safe with tools to identify, acknowledge and address preoccupying concerns that everyone experiences in daily life.