It can be tricky when your boss is using drugs. Here’s what you can do to help him without getting yourself in trouble.
Drug abuse and addiction doesn’t just affect individuals and their families. They also affect the people they interact with. And if the addict is a high-functioning type, he may affect the people around his workplace.
We have listed some ways to identify if you have a colleague who is addicted to drugs. But what if your boss is the one who is using? It can be challenging to work with a boss who may take out his or her drug-related frustrations, problems, and behaviors on you. Your own performance at work can also be affected. However, accusing your boss can be harmful to you, your job, and your workplace’s overall environment especially if it’s merely based on your opinions or others’ speculations.
Signs Your Boss is Using Drugs
There are many signs that may be apparent on your boss if he is using drugs. Aside from his own poor performance and decreased work reliability, here are something you should also watch out for:
- bloodshot eyes
- changes in speech patterns
- exhaustion
- disorientation
- unusual sweating
- mood swings
- easily irritated
- sudden lashing out at people
- aggression or violence
What You Can Do
Going to your Human Resources department to tell about your boss based on the above signs alone is not recommended, however. You may be faced with a “his word against your” scenario and you may end up losing your job in the end, especially if your accusations were proven wrong.
What you can do is to continue interacting with your boss the way you normally do. However, you should not cover up for him, but instead hold him accountable for his actions. If he starts to falter at work and under-performs due to his drug use, then his performance will speak for itself.
Furthermore, it’s best that you don’t share your suspicions or concerns with your colleagues. This will come off as rumor-mongering about your boss using drugs. Instead, be as delicate as you can. As much as possible, don’t lend your boss any money or enable him in some way.
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