IncChat

Many employers used to think that it was easy to spot a drug user during the hiring process. They once said, “It would be obvious if any of our employees were using drugs at work.” That statement couldn’t be further from the truth. The federal government estimates that 71% of drug and alcohol users are employed in small businesses. Believe or not, drug use can affect your company. What may be considered a recreational activity after-hours, can spill over into the workplace.

Drug use affects your employee’s work performance. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, 55% of substance abusers were involved in accidents and 85% sustained on-the-job injuries. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, drug-users are five times more likely to file a worker’s compensation claim. In addition to on-the-job accidents causing missed time from work, drug-using employees negatively affect their companies through voluntary absenteeism. 78% of drug users had a higher rate of absenteeism than their non-substance abusing co-workers. According to a survey conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, drug-using employees are 2.2 times more likely to request early dismissal or time off, 2.5 times more likely to have absences of eight days or more, and three times more likely to be late for work.

High rates of absenteeism and careless behavior can also affect your company’s turnover rate. Substance abusers don’t stay with one company for too long. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that full-time workers age 18-49 who reported current illicit drug use were more likely than those reporting no current illicit drug use to state that they had worked for three or more employers in the past year, voluntarily left an employer in the past year, or been fired by an employer in the past year. Similar results were reported for employees who were heavy alcohol users. A high turnover rate also adds to the cost of training and hiring new employees. By setting a drug-free policy in place, you can protect the productivity of your company and maintain a positive atmosphere for hard-working and dependable employees.

Drug testing can help employers earlier identify and resolve problems affecting employee job performance. By allowing random drug testing in the workplace, companies can monitor drug use in new and existing employees. Drug testing can rule out substance abuse as an issue and cause your company to focus on issues such as interpersonal communication, employee morale, or personal issues outside the workplace that may be affecting employee performance.

Instituting a drug-free policy in your company boosts productivity, maintains a positive atmosphere for your employees, and helps resolve internal issues quickly and effectively. Drug testing not only gives employers peace of mind, but also provides employees with a work environment that fosters trust, respect, and longevity.