Last updated : November 11, 2024
Substance abuse has been a growing problem in the United States in recent decades. Absenteeism, tardiness and on-the-job accidents are occurring more often, and these events are costing companies millions of dollars in productivity, Workers’ Compensation and liability costs. The abuse of drugs or alcohol affects employees noticeably whether they consume on the job or just prior.
Many employers are addressing these chronic substance abuse problems by implementing comprehensive drug-free workplace programs with the assistance of licensed drug testing companies experienced in policy, education and implementation.
Creating a Drug-Free Workplace
As an employer, you may be paying more for substance abuse issues than you’re aware. Even if relatively few employees are affected by drug or alcohol abuse, productivity has undoubtedly lagged as a result, and the safety of some workers may have even been compromised.
If heavy equipment or vehicles are involved, safety and liability become significant issues. A severe accident caused by a drug-impaired employee can result in huge liability and legal costs that can affect the viability of your business.
The answer is to create a drug awareness program that informs all employees of the risks of substance abuse, the educational and counseling resources available to them and the potential consequences, including punishments.
Align with an Experienced Drug Testing Company
The experts in substance abuse happen to be the drug testing companies. These companies deal with drug and alcohol abuse daily and can help create a comprehensive program that will fit your requirements and establish your company as a 100 percent drug-free organization.
Certified and licensed drug testing companies have experience in creating drug-free programs. They can conduct employee drug-education sessions that clearly illustrate the perils of substance abuse at work and the negative impact it will have on their private lives. Qualified drug testing companies understand all OSHA, Department of Transportation and other regulatory requirements.
If a labor union is involved, drug testing experts may advise strategies to collaborate with union management to develop a program that creates the safest possible working environment for their members.
Mobile Drug Testing
Random substance abuse testing is a fundamental tenet of a successful drug-free program. Often companies require employees to travel off-site to take drug tests. Problems can arise as employees alter or switch samples, end up as no-shows or have accidents while en route. Additionally, because of the time required to send employees off-site for testing, overall productivity can decrease. Productivity suffers further if a supervisor is asked to travel with the employee to ensure the testing took place—a practice that frequently occurs.
Random on-site mobile drug testing eliminates all those risks and extra costs. Results are more dependable, less time is wasted and the significant liability of employees traveling to off-site testing venues is eliminated. Testing can occur at any time, and random testing becomes truly random.
Drug Testing Is an Essential Management Tool
Given the frequency of drug problems in the workplace and the additional costs that can be incurred from absenteeism and loss of productivity, drug testing is a necessary part of business today. Beginning with a pre-employment drug procedure that eliminates subsequent problems, a focused drug-free education program plus random, on-site testing can eliminate major problems before they occur.
The end result is a drug-free workplace with substantially improved morale and reduced turnover that’s productive, collaborative and encourages interaction and synergy.
A professional drug testing company can supply the tools to create a drug-free workplace. Their experience and knowledge are the assets that will help create a better working environment.
