Maintaining A Drug Free Work Environment Today
It is important that, as a business owner, you do not let your company become another drug statistic. Companies that do not take the necessary steps to assure that they are maintaining a drug free work environment often lose money through alcohol/drug related injury, theft and lost customers. Knowing a few of the facts and benefits of maintaining a safe work environment will be very beneficial when deciding whether or not to institute a policy for regular testing for drug/alcohol usage.
Every year companies lose hundreds of thousands of dollars on accidents and injuries that are related to the intoxication of employees. These losses are often impossible to recover and, in some cases, can cause severe financial distress to a business. Safety is one of the main costs for most businesses that employ individuals who abuse intoxicants.
20-30% of all workplace accidents involve people who are intoxicated. 15-30% of workplace fatalities can be linked, in part to use of intoxicants. Besides the tremendous cost in higher insurance rates and lost productivity, in many cases innocent co-workers are injured or killed as a result of the actions of a co-worker who abuses substances.
As the rates of drug/alcohol related accidents and fatalities have risen, many workers compensation providers have established requirements for businesses that demand regular testing of employees to qualify for coverage. Business owners are finding that providers that do not require testing charge premiums that are significantly higher.
Employees who feel safe and stable in their environment are more productive. However, with substance abuse causing 200-300% more absenteeism, staff that would normally be highly productive often face significant morale issues and the ability to maintain consistent company growth can suffer substantially. Through testing, an owner can often curtail injury or theft by eliminating the issue of substance abuse in the workplace.
In many cases individuals who are impaired are unable to focus on their jobs and effectively complete daily tasks. This can adversely affect the way that a company is represented to customers. Through testing, business owners can be certain that their customers are receiving the level of service that is needed to thrive and succeed. When a customer has a question or concern, employees are able to respond in a timely and alert manner and represent the company on a consistent basis.
Employees who feel they are working in a safe environment and are not faced with the issues that substance abuse often causes have a greater commitment to the vision and goals of the company. They generally feel that their employer is genuinely concerned for their welfare and is taking the necessary steps to ensure that they are able to do their job to the best of their ability.
The benefits of maintaining a drug free work environment offers employers the ability to build a successful business in partnership with employees that feel their safety is of concern to the company. Through the use of employee safety education training and testing to ensure that all staff are free of drugs/alcohol, the goals of the company can be met more easily.
Filed under: Business