Addressing substance abuse problems in the working environment – the earlier, the better
Substance abuse problems are relatively common. Various studies show that as many as about 50% of working-age men and about 25% of women consume too much alcohol. As many as 70% of those addicted to alcohol are employed. It is the employer's responsibility to intervene if there is reason to suspect that an employee has a substance abuse problem that affects their work. Intervention is important, not only for the well-being of the individual but also from an organizational point of view; heavy alcohol consumption increases sickness absences, contributes to the risk of disability retirement and unemployment and reduces the productivity of work.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018, the Numerot puhuvat study* (in Finnish) calculated that the consumption of alcohol causes Finnish workplaces to incur annual costs of at least EUR 500 million, possibly more than EUR 1 billion. The COVID-19 epidemic, which has continued for the last two years, has caused a lot of concern about the growing scale of substance abuse problems among working-age people.
“In the light of the statistics, it appears that the number of workers who suffer from substance abuse and have access to treatment in occupational health services is lower than the actual number workers suffering from substance abuse as estimated on the basis of population surveys. We can assume that a lot of substance abuse problems currently remain hidden and will not be addressed in time,” says Matti Palomäki, Occupational Health Physician in charge of Terveystalo's substance abuse program.
“As the restrictions imposed on society are now easing, workers will be required to physically participate in the activities of the work community. Substance abuse problems that remained hidden due to working from home can come as a surprise to supervisors who should be prepared for these challenging situations,” says Palomäki.
In autumn 2021, Terveystalo developed an operating model to improve the identification, evaluation and treatment of substance abuse patients. Terveystalo also prepared online coaching for supervisors, providing information and tools for identifying substance abuse problems, addressing them and taking action at an early stage.
“Addressing issues at an early stage is important in order to minimize the impact of substance abuse problems on the working environment, occupational safety and the individual's ability to work. Speaking up about an employee’s substance abuse issues is often challenging and even awkward for the supervisor, which is why the treatment is often delayed. Setting things right requires a clear operating model from the occupational health partner, in addition to which supervisors play a major role in initiating the care pathway,” says Palomäki.
Read more articles
Terveystalo and Gosta Labs deepen their cooperation: the goal is to streamline work with a superior patient information system
Terveystalo is deepening its cooperation with Finnish health technology company Gosta Labs and investing €1 million in the company as a minority investor. The aim is to jointly develop artificial intelligence solutions that improve the quality of care and the efficiency of reception work as part of Terveystalo's new patient information system, Terveystalo Ella.
Terveystalo's revised occupational health invoicing practices increase transparency and invoicing accuracy
Over the past few months, we at Terveystalo have taken significant steps towards a more transparent and customer-oriented invoicing practice in our occupational health services. Based on feedback from our customers, the extensive development work launched in the spring has produced concrete results, and the new invoicing model developed in response to our customers' wishes will be available to all our customers in early 2026. For our customers, the results of this development work mean clearer invoices, better quality, and smoother cooperation.
First aid preparedness in companies requires action and courage
First aid skills increase resilience, but a barometer survey of Finnish organizations' first aid capabilities published in October reveals that the number of trained personnel is alarmingly low.
Terveystalo implements the industry's most accurate billing quality monitoring system
As part of the broader development work launched in the spring, focusing on transparency, customer orientation, and the utilization of digital tools, Terveystalo has created the industry's most accurate tool for verifying the accuracy of invoicing, which was introduced in September 2025.
Let's reform occupational health together
Laura Karotie, SVP Corporate Health at Terveystalo, shares her initial observations on how occupational health can be developed in a customer-oriented and sustainable manner.