Workplace Supported Recovery

From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid: Building a Sober, Stronger Workforce with Dave Argus

From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid: Building a Sober, Stronger Workforce with Dave Argus

What if your drug-testing program actually kept more people safe and employed? In this conversation, Dave Argus (Director of Operations, Karas & Karas Glass) shows how his team turned testing into early detection + a bridge to care, and why structured multiple-chance agreements outperform zero-tolerance for real-world safety and retention. In Dave’s words, “We don’t give up on them after they make a mistake — we get them more support.”

You’ll hear how workers in recovery proactively request testing to catch slips before they “go over the waterfall,” and how clear guardrails, peer allies, and treatment partners make recovery part of safety, not separate from it.

2024 Year-End Rewind – Reflecting, Growing, and Shaping the Future Together

2024 Year-End Rewind – Reflecting, Growing, and Shaping the Future Together

Welcome to a special year-end episode of Headspace for the Workplace, where we take a moment to reflect on the past year, celebrate milestones, and plan for an even more impactful 2025. As we close out 2024, we honor a deeply personal milestone: twenty years since the suicide death of my precious brother, Carson. His memory continues to guide my mission to foster transformative change in workplace mental health and suicide prevention.

Highlights of Our 2024 Journey

This year has been a testament to the power of lived experience, collaborative leadership, and actionable strategies in reshaping workplace culture. Here’s a look back at some of the key moments that defined 2024

Reclaim Your Moxie -- Workplace Supported Recovery for People Living with Addictive Behaviors: Interview with Dana Piscopo | Ep 5

Reclaim Your Moxie -- Workplace Supported Recovery for People Living with Addictive Behaviors: Interview with Dana Piscopo | Ep 5

Unaddressed or under-addressed substance use disorders and addictive behaviors result in costly and risky outcomes at work. Most people living with substance use challenges are able to “function” at work, but according to an article published by Harvard Medical School[1], workplaces experiences $81 billion in lost profits due to addictive behaviors. These losses are connected to increases in absenteeism, sick time and turnover and decreases in productivity and quality of work. Furthermore, alcohol and drug use contribute to work-related injuries and fatalities increase both by impairment while working and also the short-term cognitive problems that linger after a heavy night of drinking.

In this episode, I speak with Dana Piscopo of Oracle, a woman in long-term recovery who is advocating for workplace-based peer support for people living with substance use disorders.