Seven Major Reasons for Drug Testing at Work

Having employees who use illegal drugs is never good news for your company. Drug users can lower the productivity and revenue of your business and even put other employees at risk.

The use of illegal drugs at the workplace can have fatal consequences. But there are many other reasons for implementing a workplace drug testing scheme.

Here are the top seven reasons why your company should implement compulsory drug testing at work:

1. You want every employee to feel safe.

Being under the influence of drugs can impair a person’s judgement and increase safety risks.

In some industries, such as construction and transport, the risks are obvious. But even in white collar occupations, there are risks of injury.

There are also risks of serious misconduct towards colleagues, including harassment.

Under any circumstances, your employees should have the right to feel as safe as they can possibly be. 

2. You want top performance from your employees.

Staff members who use drugs to boost their performance will eventually struggle to focus on their job. The drugs will not work the same way and the time will come when the employee’s output starts to suffer.

Workplace drug testing allows you to identify the employees who are at a risk of using drugs, as well as those who aren’t performing well at work because of illegal drug use.

By identifying these employees, you can help them rehabilitate. You also create a clear warning signal. This alone can often deter would-be drug users.

3. You care about your company’s profits.

Let’s be honest, increasing the bottom line is what drives a  business. Drug-using employees can arguably derail your company’s performance on many levels.

Employees who use drugs will miss deadlines or take sick days often, affecting overall productivity. Declining productivity results in lower profits.

Not to mention drug-abusing employees usually develop behavioural problems like disruptiveness and some even steal from the company coffers just to fund the addiction. Every employee represents his or her company. What image do you want your company to present to your clients?

One way or another, your profits will take a hit unknowingly maintaining a drug-addicted employee.

4. You don’t want to fire anyone.

Firing an employee is difficult on both ends. Nobody likes to go through that.

Therefore, having a pre-employment drug testing program helps you find employees who fit your company’s goals and standards. It decreases the chances of you having to fire an employee later on.

You are effectively decreasing your company’s employee turnover rate. Not to mention the significant costs that replacing an employee entails.

5. You want to avoid high abstinence rates.

Drug abuse will wreak havoc on a person’s immune system. This translates to frequent illnesses and more sick leave being taken.

We all know how critical physical well-being is to on-the-job performance. So it is no surprise that anything that promotes employee health and reduces sick leave benefits everybody.

Workplace drug testing puts the focus on a major source of work abstinence and thereby helps reduce it.

6. You want to safe guard your company’s image

Imagine you have a drug-related incident at work where a client or member of the public gets hurt. Or if it gets media coverage.

This can be potentially lethal for your company. But even if it’s not – it will cost you business. Just think of how easy it is nowadays for anyone to leave a review on your company.

On the flip side, you can project an image of taking active stance towards employee and public safety. Drug testing is an obvious part of that.

7. You want to protect yourself from lawsuits.

Injuries or accidents or deaths that occur at work makes your business legally liable.

If your business is a daycare centre and you have a drug abusing employee working with the children, or if your business is a home for the elderly, your drug abusing employee is threatening the safety of the elderly people.

Once they get found out, there are legal implications that your company has to face. There is also a high probability of your business getting involved in an expensive lawsuit.

So not only did your drug abusing employee cost you money. He or she permanently impacted your company’s public profile and good name.

In summary

The reasons for drug testing at work are compelling. The upfront costs of workplace drug testing easily pay for themselves when your company retains focused, motivated and productive employees.

If you want to keep your company safe, drug testing becomes an integral part.

Contact us today and discover what options you have in protecting your staff, company and clients!