Last updated: October 2, 2023
Lots of employers are having problems maintaining their workforce for various reasons today. Performance and productivity are dropping for many of these businesses. Employees are the backbone of the company. Coming up with enticing sign-on bonuses or other perks to offer potential new hires is working for some. Other business owners are dropping or restructuring their employee drug testing policies to try and resolve the problem—say by removing marijuana from the test panels.
Other business owners realize that drug testing can actually cause an increase in performance and productivity. Are you wondering how that can be? When there is a drug-free program in place, employees know that they are working for a company that truly cares about their well-being. It’s as simple as that.
For safety’s sake
Employers should want to provide a safe work environment for their workers while they’re on the clock. The majority of them do all they can to make it so. In fact, it’s the number one reason that they choose to take part in a drug-free workplace program. Drug use impairs the ability to think clearly. It can cause issues with mobility as well. Neither of these facts bode well when coupled with being on the job. They sound more like an accident waiting to happen.
Employee drug testing puts out a loud and clear message that you won’t be taking that risk.
It’s a well-known fact that when employees know they work for someone who isn’t just looking for a body—any body—to fill the slot it increases their sense of satisfaction. They feel as if they’ve made the right choice in coming to work for you which, in turn, puts a positive flow in your work culture as a whole. When you’re feeling good about where you are— especially when it’s the place that provides the income you need to support your family—it’s going to have an effect on those around you. And, when everyone is rocking that vibe—look out, world!
Things aren’t just going to rock in the breakroom or during after-hour gatherings, however. You’re going to see a positive effect on both job performance and productivity. We’d go so far as to say that you can count on it. Employees who are satisfied with their job choice are almost always going to pitch in and go the extra mile all day, every day. And when the company as a whole gets on the same page where that’s concerned—well, we’ll let your imagination take it from this point on.
But wait—there’s more!
Employee drug testing increases employee satisfaction by making the workplace safer and having a positive effect on overall production and job performance, but those aren’t the only benefits to consider. We’ll quickly note that many states offer employers savings in their workers’ compensation insurance premiums. In addition, statistics show that workplace accidents decrease after drug-free programs are implemented.
Employees who use drugs are often late to work—if they bother to show up at all. You can begin to nip that problem in the bud from the moment your drug-free program goes into effect though. That’s because when word gets out that you drug test, most people who use drugs won’t even bother to apply for a position. That’s especially true if there is a random test from time to time. Someone might refrain from using drugs long enough to get hired but if they know they could get popped for a random at any moment, it probably won’t be something they want to risk.
So, not only will absenteeism and tardiness not be as much of a hindrance, your company will experience less employee turnover. Moreover, the employees that you hire are much more likely to be satisfied with the decision they made to come to work for you which circles back to an increase in performance and productivity!
Safety-sensitive employers are mandated
Of course, you already know that information if you employ a safety-sensitive workforce. Still, it’s worth mentioning that you want to ensure that you keep all of your records in order. The government requires drug testing of the safety-sensitive workforce to ensure that anyone coming into contact with the public while transporting goods or providing services—which includes transporting them from place to place—isn’t using drugs.
Should an inspector walk through the door and find things aren’t up to par, the business owner is held responsible. That is true even if you have hired a third party to handle your drug testing program. There will be fines to pay and you can be sure that they won’t be cheap. Some penalties even include the possibility of serving time in jail—it’s admittedly a rare occurrence, but it can happen.
Employee drug testing is worth the cost
In light of the benefits that employee drug testing affords a business owner, it makes good sense to continue with it. If you don’t operate a drug-free workplace, maybe it’s time to consider it!
You’ll attract people to apply who don’t use drugs. A quick “drug testing near me” search will produce locations nearby. Better yet, consider having the company come to you! Some companies, like ours, for instance, provide 24-hour, on-location employee drug testing services.
The majority of employees don’t use drugs. Perhaps it would be more cost-effective for you to purchase, say, mouth swab tests, for example, to perform drug tests on site. A positive result would be a good cause to have the person report for an “official” test.
