Substance use issues in the US have worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, and a new report sheds light on the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among tech leaders.

Nearly one-half (48%) of tech leaders use controlled substances every day or nearly every day, according to a survey by All Points North and Censuswide. About one-third (32%) of respondents reported consuming controlled substances to perform better and cope with long hours and high stress. The survey drew upon responses from 501 tech leaders at the director level or higher.

Anxiety about layoffs and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) were cited as factors fueling increased substance use among the workers surveyed.

Given these findings, HR leaders may consider investing in training so that managers can spot warning signs among employees struggling with substance use, as well as looking into wellness programs that are preventative in nature, Philip Hemphill, APN’s chief clinical officer, told HR Brew.

Mixing medication with work. One-half of tech leaders surveyed qualified as heavy drinkers, consuming three to seven alcoholic drinks per day.

Some 31% of respondents said they’d increased their alcohol intake due to stress regarding layoffs, while 28% increased their intake due to stress regarding AI. Almost 220,000 tech workers have been laid off so far this year, according to Layoffs.fyi, by firms including Meta, Google, and Amazon. At the same time, tech companies have invested heavily in AI, sparking concerns that workers will be replaced by new technologies.

In addition to alcohol, 45% of tech leaders reported using painkillers such as Codeine or Oxytocin, while 34% reported using stimulants such as amphetamines like Adderall.

Some leaders’ substance use patterns are intersecting with their workdays.

Keep reading here.—CV

Which is…what, exactly? Figuring out what gets employees motivated—and what keeps them around—can feel like a guessing game. But it doesn’t have to.

Workday’s new research report, Trends Redefining Employee Experience in 2023, takes the guesswork out of employee satisfaction with insights on:

• trends redefining the employee experience this year
• shaping a resilient workforce, navigating through talent retention complexities, and understanding the role of AI and machine learning
• new hiring dynamics + talent retention

Read the report to learn how you can keep top talent comin’ to your org—and get expert advice on how to build and maintain workforce resilience so your employees can thrive.

Tap in for the newest workplace trends.

Anyone who has ever moved, welcomed someone new into their life, or changed jobs (so, everyone…) knows that change can elicit feelings of both excitement and fear.

So, it might not come as a surprise to know that while execs are excited about ChatGPT and other AI tools, their employees are more fearful, according to a new Qualtrics survey.

While 64% of executives said the prospect of AI is exciting, only 39% of their employees feel the same. Some 46% of individual contributors surveyed by the experience management firm reported that AI is “scary,” compared to 30% of top brass.

“Executives are just a lot more excited about it,” said Benjamin Granger, Qualtrics’s chief workplace psychologist. “That’s not really surprising…To a lot of people, this is an unknown. Unknowns are scary…Is this going to replace my job? Is this going to replace part of my job? Is this going to make me redundant?”

It’s possible for HR to nurture both at the same time as companies incorporate new AI tech into day-to-day business operations.

“HR, in my mind, is in a very unique position in that they are the stewards of the business,” Granger said. “They understand the need for efficiency. They understand the power of artificial intelligence…But on the flip side, being the stewards of the business and the people, they also understand where human intelligence is essential.”

Guidance, not policy. Granger said HR teams shouldn’t rush to create an AI policy before all the business and people implications are clear, but did recommend developing guidance.

“Guidance and a framework is absolutely necessary,” he said, adding that there could be “a high risk of leaders misusing it,” even unintentionally.

Keep reading here.—AD

Sometimes, a break up can be good. Examples include: When Ariana Grande requests it, or when your diversified multinational corporation needs to survive an uncertain future.

Lately, a rising number of conglomerates are promising to be more focused by splitting up their organizations or reorganizing. EA Sports is a recent example. The popular gaming company is splitting two of its business units: EA Sports will become its own entity, while EA Games will become EA Entertainment.

For HR leaders, restructuring can help solve a handful of potential organizational challenges, including those related to recruiting, retention, and culture. A new name or a smaller, more focused organization can send a message about a company’s strategy and even help it better adjust to change in the future.

Motivations. In an era when companies are cost-cutting and conducting layoffs, reorganizations or spin-offs can help direct innovation and R&D efforts toward a singular goal, and create better market outcomes. Some experts say it can help organizations adjust to today’s rapidly changing environment.

With that in mind, HR leaders who are struggling with culture, engagement, or executing or advancing their organizational strategy may benefit from a restructuring of some sort.

Keep reading here.—AK

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: Private-sector workers’ hourly wages rose 1.2% year over year in June, outpacing inflation for the first time in two years. (the Wall Street Journal)

Quote: “I didn’t tell my employer that I was doing this crazy commute because I didn’t know if they would be okay with it.”—A 26-year-old TikTok user known as theycallmestephanie96, a “super commuter” who traveled from Washington, DC, to New York City once a week when her employer mandated RTO (WorkLife)

Read: As states have passed laws legalizing and protecting workers’ off-the-clock use of cannabis, some employers have relaxed their stance on the substance. (the Washington Post)