At first thought, doing drug testing in the workplace sounds like a huge hassle that may take up a lot of time. Random drug testing is becoming more common than ever before so companies can ensure that their employees are fully functional and performing up to their standards. This is especially mandatory after the drug-free workplace act passed to ensure that safety in the workplace is strictly enforced. On the other hand, many employees often complain on social media, to their coworkers, and even to their supervisors that experiencing workplace drug testing is a complete violation of their privacy. From the employer’s perspective, let’s walk through the main positive and negative outcomes that come from using drug and alcohol tests at work.
Workplace Policy
Knowing what your employee rights and the general drug testing policy at the workplace is crucial. You’ll save a lot of headache and gain further awareness on how employers can crack down on drug use before it’s too late. For employers, the benefits far outweigh the extra investment for the following reasons:
- The biggest advantage of workplace drug testing is the fact that it promotes workplace safety for everyone involved. If you run a service based business, making sure that every staff member is clean on the job is imperative so no mistakes are made. Even if a certain worker claims that their drug use is occasional or only done in the comfort of their own home, the after effects can still last a couple days and affect how well they can do their job. For example, if a workplace involves handling hazardous chemicals, operating heavy machinery in a factory, or driving vehicles for sales, having impairment by a certain drug significantly rises the risk of a dangerous workplace accident that’s waiting to happen.
- For employers, mandating workplace drug testing saves lots of money and headache from liability. Without having proper drug testing at work, it’s very difficult for an employer to positively identify which workers will pose a risk to anyone they interact with. As a result, a company would have a lot for resources to invest in our areas to improve their employee satisfaction or operations if the threats of accidents are taken off their list of worries.
- Workplace drug testing can actually help employees who are struggling with drug addiction. Luckily, most employers give their employees a second chance to cut off their bad habits and retest a few months into the future if they happen to fail their drug test. Established companies usually accompany these workers with a drug addiction program or will connect them to tried and true counselors in the area to build themselves back to better health. Doing so will help the company not lose any special talent from grasp of drug abuse and avoid the hassle of having to hire and train a new employee for the job as well.
- Workplace drug testing is very easy to take. If you have never taken a drug test, rest assured that no scary needles or machinery is involved. Workplace drug testing does not typically involve any form of blood sampling at all since saliva swabs or urine samples are what most companies use today. These tests are extremely quick to do from start to finish and provide accurate results with a quick turnaround time. At the same time, this is only when tests are done with a certified drug testing lab or a hospital that provides the service. Never accept a drug test from a company that doesn’t seem to have the right accreditations.
- Safety in the workplace increases as productivity increases from avoiding drug use. Mandating drug tests can actually encourage all employees to do their best work within a timely fashion. In fact, companies that enforce a comprehensive workplace drug testing program have consistently reported over the past years that they gained an overall improvement in job performance as well as employee morale.
- A company who enforces workplace drug testing experiences less turnover. The truth is, that people who tend to abuse drugs are more likely to change their lifestyle habits, social networks, and even their full time jobs often. According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a drug-abusing employee has been linked to changing jobs as often as three times each year. Having a large proportion of their employees leaving each year is a nightmare for any hardworking company. Putting preventative measures in place to retain the brightest employees in the industry is a strategy many companies are willing to take.
Safety In The Future
There is always a possibility for drug testing to become quicker, more accurate, and more convenient for employees in the future. The rate of technology growth in the field of medicine and biological testing is becoming faster than ever before. However, at this point in time, the best thing to do as an employee is to follow the rules set in place and clean up your act before any negative consequences potentially cost your career.
As a college student is about to graduate and go into my first full time job, I can attest to having to take a couple drug tests in order to complete every stepping stone that led me to having the opportunity to work. While I’m not a drug user myself, I can attest to a handful of friends who have had midnight scares for taking drugs too close to a scheduled workplace drug test or have been turned down job offers for their test results returning positive. After working so hard to interview and network with the company of your dreams, don’t let an issue like using drugs to frequently stand in your way.
