Many organizations still treat drug and alcohol training as a requirement to be completed, checked off, and revisited next year… maybe. It shows up on a training calendar, everyone attends, and the box is officially checked. The trouble is that this approach rarely changes behaviour, culture, or safety outcomes.
Over the last 20 years, I have worked with organizations across a range of sectors, and I can say with confidence that meaningful change does not come from a single training day. Real change comes from ongoing learning that keeps the conversation active and relevant.
A one-time session may meet a compliance requirement, but it does not prepare people for the real-world challenges they face in the workplace. Substance use is complex, personal, and influenced by evolving trends and social norms. All employees, managers, supervisors, and front-line people need more than a policy review. They need repeated opportunities to build skill, confidence, and shared understanding.
Why Annual Training Falls Short
Annual training often focuses on information. People receive an overview of the policy, a reminder of expectations, and perhaps a review of testing procedures. This is valuable, but it is only the starting point.
Information alone does not create comfort in recognizing risk. It does not equip supervisors to approach an employee with a concern. It does not help coworkers understand how their choices affect their team. Most importantly, it does not build the type of trust needed when someone chooses to come forward with a disclosure.
If we want safer workplaces, we must shift from informational training to training that develops confidence and capability over time.
The Power of Ongoing Conversation
In one Nova Scotia workplace that I support, cannabis use had become normalized to the point that safety was routinely compromised. The workplace had a policy, but it was not consistently applied. Supervisors felt uncomfortable initiating conversations, and employees were unsure about what was acceptable.
What created change was not a single training session. The turning point came when the organization committed to a continuous learning approach.
Small group discussions. Scenario practice. Space for questions. Consistent messaging.
The more often people talked about safety and substance use, the easier the conversations became. Over time, employees began to understand expectations, and supervisors learned how to act early, fairly and consistently. The culture shifted because learning was ongoing rather than episodic.
Within a matter of weeks, voluntary disclosures increased, and employees began to hold one another accountable for safety. This did not happen because people received more information. It happened because the learning was repeated, reinforced, and connected to their daily work.
Scenario-Based Learning Creates Confidence
The most meaningful part of substance use training is often the part that feels the most uncomfortable: role-playing conversations. Walking through reasonable cause decisions. Talking through a positive test result. Naming the emotions and uncertainties that show up in real situations.
These discussions give people a safe place to practice language and explore their own biases. They allow teams to imagine the response before the response is needed. When teams practice these scenarios in training throughout the year, they are far better prepared when a real situation arises.
Supervisors who feel confident are more likely to act promptly. Employees who understand the process feel the system is fair. Confidence combined with fairness builds trust, and trust is the foundation of any safety culture.
Learning Must Be Timely and Ongoing
Substance use patterns shift. New substances appear. Social attitudes evolve. A workplace that relies on last year’s training is already behind.
Continuous learning enables organizations to stay current and respond to new trends and risks. This can be done through short refreshers, toolbox talks, micro learning sessions, or focused discussions within teams. Learning does not need to be long to be effective. It simply needs to be consistent.
When employees hear regular messages about safety and substance use, they understand that the topic is not a compliance exercise. It is a priority that affects everyone.
Training is an Evolution, Not an Event
A healthy and safe workplace is not built through a single session. It is built through repeated learning that reinforces expectations, strengthens skills, and encourages open dialogue. It is built through leadership that remains committed to fairness and clarity over the long term.
When employers invest in continuous learning, they build stronger teams, improve decision-making, and foster a culture that supports both safety and well-being. This is what allows people to thrive and workplaces to operate safely. Once-and-done training may check the box, but continuous learning builds the culture.
Need help with revising your current approach and making your policy real? Book a call and let’s talk.