Concerned about a colleague?

UiB's guidelines describe how substance use and addiction are handled at the University of Bergen. Before having a conversation with the employee, we recommend that you read the documents and/or seek advice from the contact persons listed below. 

Having the conversation can be challenging but effective. Akan - The Workplace Center for Addiction and Mental Health has developed Tips for "the necessary conversation" as a useful tool for talking with an employee based on a concern before it becomes a problem. You can also contact the company health service for advice. It is recommended that the first conversation is a conversation between the immediate supervisor and the person concerned. Along the way, it may be appropriate to invite a third party to the conversation. This could be a union representative, safety representative, another manager, an Akan contact, or the vocational health service. Consider what is most appropriate given the nature of the matter and what the different roles signal. If an individual Akan agreement is subsequently drawn up, this should be done in collaboration with the supervisor and the vocational health service. 

Read more on Akan's website. 

The manager or supervisor should offer help through an individual Akan agreement. An individual Akan agreement is an offer with the purpose of helping the employee with their substance or gambling problem, to ensure close follow-up while they keep their job. It is up to the employee to accept the offer or not. Often, Akan agreements come about because of a breach of policy or work regulations, but they can also be established based on a conversation or at the request of the employee themselves. 

Regardless of the entry point, it is important that the interests of both parties are taken into account, both the company's considerations for health, environment, and safety, as well as the employee's need for support measures. Behind every Akan agreement is an individual with their own challenges and needs. Every single Akan agreement is unique and adapted to the individual. The immediate supervisor is responsible for initiating and following up on the individual Akan agreement. The manager contacts the occupational health service (BHT) for advice. By following the link "How to create an Akan agreement and its contents", you can find more information on how to start an agreement, what the content should be, as well as a description of roles and who does what. 

The manager's role in following up on the Akan agreement should cover the individual's daily work. If the immediate supervisor is not in a position to take on this task, the task must be delegated in the leadership chain. An individual Akan agreement requires the willingness to work on one's own problem, and to contribute constructively to the design and follow-up of the Akan agreement. The more actively the individual themselves are involved in finding solutions, the easier it is to design an agreement that works. Everyone involved has a duty of confidentiality. However, this must not be an obstacle to relevant information exchange and constructive collaboration in the follow-up. The duty of confidentiality also applies after the employment relationship has ceased. Those working in occupational health services also have a statutory duty of confidentiality in their professional practice. 

Leaders: Leaders are key individuals and important role models in a work environment and have a special responsibility for creating a work environment and corporate culture characterized by safety and trust. Consequently, leaders have a particular responsibility for adhering to the company's policy. Leaders' responsibility for health, environment, and safety work is described in Chapter 2 of the Working Environment Act. In case of a breach of the work regulations, the immediate supervisor with personnel responsibility has a duty to react and follow up. In case of uncertainty about the individual situation, a third party, such as a safety representative, another leader, an Akan contact, or the occupational health service (BHT), can be consulted. If an individual Akan agreement is further developed, this should be done in collaboration with the leader and the BHT. 

HR department: The HR department has a particular responsibility for the Working Environment Act and organizational development in the company. The HR department can also provide general guidance and advice to leaders on procedures in individual cases without formalizing the case as a personnel matter.   

Safety representative: The safety representative shall safeguard the interests of employees in matters concerning the working environment and has a special responsibility for ensuring that preventive work is related to health, environment, and safety work. 

Union representative: Union representatives are tasked with promoting a good working environment, helping to ensure that the intentions of the policy are upheld and that leaders react in accordance with the adopted policy. At the same time, they are responsible for ensuring that the affected employee is provided with assistance and appropriate follow-up. If the employee wishes, it is recommended that the union representative be present during discussions related to warnings. 

Occupational health service (BHT): The occupational health service has a free and independent role in working environment issues (cf. Section 3.3 of the Working Environment Act and the Regulations on safety and health personnel). In collaboration with the other members of the Akan committee or the working environment committee (AMU), the BHT shall provide guidance, information, and assistance to management and employees when there are signs that someone has problematic addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling, or other substances. It is also important that the BHT is attentive to drug-related issues when conducting regular surveys and follow-ups on the working environment. The BHT also has a role as the company's medical expert when entering into individual Akan agreements. It is important that the BHT clearly informs the employee of their role in such situations. 

The Occupational Health Service provides professional input and advice on adaptation, coordination, and follow-up. This may include: 

• Medical examinations, possibly referrals to treatment providers. 

• Provide professional assessment of the content and design of the Akan agreement. 

• Disseminate knowledge about and establish contact with external treatment services. 

• Collaborate with the employee's general practitioner, other healthcare providers, and specialists. 

• Participation in meetings and conversations. 

• Conversations and follow-up with the individual if this is included in the agreement between the company and the Occupational Health Service. 

It is advisable to clarify specifically what the employee's contact with the Occupational Health Service should involve. For example, how often should any conversations take place? In the context of Akan, the Occupational Health Service is the company's medical expert. The Occupational Health Service has an advisory support function in an Akan agreement, not a treatment role. 

Head of the Akan Committee: Britt-Karin Muri HR/Deputy Director HR Department 

Occupational Health Service: Gunvor Røssland Landro, Occupational Health Nurse 

You can also contact the Akan Committee through: 

• Parat, Mona Viksøy 
• Akademikerne, Kristian Carlos Botnen 
• NTL, Unni Lange Buanes 
• Forskerforbundet, Helge Holgersen 
• UHVO, Michael Peter Riisøen