English information about Akan
Working from home can be challenging when it comes to drugs and addiction.
With Covid-19 our everyday life has changed. To be in a home quarantine or isolation can be a stressful situation. It is normal to become worried, tense, irritable, restless and to experience difficulties in e.g. concentrating. We know that these challenging times represent a risk related to more use of alcohol, drugs and gambling. It can be tempting when our everyday life has been turned upside down. Daily routines like sleep, exercise and healthy food is important and should be kept as normal as possible. Using alcohol and drugs are not a helpful coping strategy and can make things worse.
Some experience less social contact and interaction with colleagues and friends. For others it is more challenging to balance expectations from many different directions. This can result in frustration, restlessness, insecurity and loneliness. Stay in contact with your colleagues to both receive and give support. Coffee breaks and virtual collaboration is more important now than ever. Keep in touch with your social network. Take care of yourself and each other.
Contact someone if you are worried and need someone to talk to.
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- Seek support from your leader or a trusted colleague
- Seek support from your internal Akan support within your company
- Seek support from your occupational health service or doctor.
- Call Akan competence center for advice and support. Support phone +47 22 40 28 00 or chat www.akan.no
Akan kompetansesenter helps Norwegian businesses to prevent and handle issues related to alcohol, drugs, gaming and gambling.
We help you to
- Engage in the conversations you are nervous about having
- React to undesirable actions at the work place
- Move from worries to actions
We offer
- Knowledge on how to engage in conversations related to undesirable behavior pertaining to alcohol, gambling, prescription drugs, gaming, and drugs in a work-related setting
- Open, and tailored, and digital courses for managers, HR, safety representatives, union representatives, and Akan-contacts
- Free help line where you can ask about anything from advice to guidance if you have a problem that needs to be solved. You can be anonymous.
- Free digital tools, brochures, and information
- Company visits and video meetings
Individual Akan-contract
An individual Akan-contract is an offer to employees that have developed a problem related to alcohol, drugs, gaming, or gambling. This contract ensures proper treatment and follow up as well as it allows individuals with a problem to keep their job.
What does an individual Akan contract contain?
No Akan-contracts are the same and the content of such agreements need to be adapted to different needs, the situation, the nature/cause of the problem, and the work situation. An Akan-contract should contain the following:
- A description or background as to why this Akan-contract being offered
- A health check-up at the primary doctor, which in turn, can forward the person to correct treatment
- A description of what kind of follow-up and treatment that needs to be completed
- A time frame for the contract. We recommend two years
- Follow-up by the manager in daily work tasks, in addiction to control measures and adjustments to work tasks must be documented in this agreement
We recommend that you spend enough time on outlining this contract and evaluate the content as you move forward. The manager is responsible for the outlining and follow-up. Feel free to use our individual Akan contract examples (in Norwegian), but please keep in mind that such contracts need to be tailored to specific needs and the situation at hand.
Work together as a team
The occupational health services are an important resource and should be a part of an individual Akan-contract in businesses that have occupational health services. The primary doctor must also be notified when an agreement regarding an individual Akan-contract has been made. Many businesses have internal Akan resources, represented by HR, Akan-contacts, safety representatives, or union representatives. Those who contribute to and sign the Akan-contract, commits to cooperate.
The managers need for an overview and follow-up of the employee must be met. The managers responsibility is to ensure that the demands of health, safety and environment is being met. It is important that the employee takes a part in outlining the details of the contract. By involving the employee, you ensure an ownership and a stronger sense of responsibility to the individual Akan-contract.
The necessary conversation
Are you worried that a coworker might have an alcohol, drug, gaming or gambling problem? Do you have a gut feeling that says that something is not right? As a manager, the necessary conversation is a tool that enables you to engage in a conversation with someone you worry about, before it becomes a problem. If you are a colleague, you can still use the following advice to show that you care about your colleague
Before the conversation
- Lower your ambitions. Your primary task is to communicate concern and to show you that you care
- What makes you worried? Be specific. Communicate events such as changes in sick leaves, behavior, job performance, etc
- Do not expect admissions. Your role is not to identify a problem or come up with a diagnosis, but rather to react to changes that result in negative consequences for the work situation
During the conversation
- Be specific and communicate the reason for your concern/worry
- Stick to facts and your own observations. Describe without interpreting
- Use “I”, instead of “we”
- Listen actively and ask open ended questions
- Focus on care and worry, rather than claims and accusations
- Whatever reactions you get, know that the conversation has initiated feelings and thoughts
Ending the conversation
- Summarize the conversation
- End the conversation if it doesn’t go anywhere, just know that you have started a process
- Schedule another conversation
- Think about using other resources for guidance and advice.
You can call Akan kompetansesenter at 22 40 28 00 before you engage in this conversation if you want.
