How Drug Testing Acts As a Deterrent Against Workplace Drug Abuse?

Workplace drug abuse has become a major concern for many organizations across the United States. Apart from reducing productivity of drug abusing employees and increasing the instances of casualties, drug abuse at workplace negatively impacts the company's morale as good employees start leaving the company to avoid drug abusing colleagues.

To avoid such situations every organization should follow an effective drug testing program to ensure safe, healthy and productive working environment. Read this article to understand how an effective drug testing program in place acts as a deterrent against workplace drug abuse.

Employers need to conduct effective drug testing programs:

Employers might stay aloof from the fact that the employee is under the influence of drugs, as long as it does not interfere in performing his regular duties. However, it becomes a matter of concern when the employee's performance drops, which leads to increased number of sick leaves, frequently coming late to workplace, inadequate grooming, increasing number of errors in work, lack of coordination and cooperation at workplace, aggressiveness, etc.

During such situation, it is necessary for the employer to be sensible and undertake measures such as conducting regular i.e., scheduled or random testing. Conducting scheduled testing is likely to be helpful for newly joined employees. But for the existing employees, as they come to know the scheduled period for drug tests, they may get smart to go unaffected by such tests. For them random testing is often recommended. In random testing, the date and the persons who are going to be tested are not known beforehand.

With such tests the suspected employee will have a chance to make necessary corrections in terms of drug using behavior, that is, to get rid of influence of drugs. The employer, however, should make sure that there is strong ground to suspect the employee.

Employers should also make sure that they are in compliance with state laws with regard to workplace drug testing. The provisions of law vary across states. Your employees may bring cases of litigation against you, if they feel that your organization has breached their privacy.

In order to conduct a successful testing program the employers should use reliable test kits that not only show accurate results but also are convenient for on-site testing. They can use urine and saliva test kits. These kits are cost effective, fast, simple, safe, accurate and above all convenient to administer at workplace.

Urine test kits can be used to detect drugs like marijuana, cocaine, opium, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines and the like. Saliva drug test kits can be used to test amphetamine, opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, THC and other metabolites. Based on the drug abuse pattern in the workplace employers can choose either single or multi-panel drug test strips/cups.

Drug testing at the workplace is likely to check the influence of illicit drugs among employees. Also it gives a strong message to the employees that working under the influence of drugs is highly unacceptable. It, thus, increases the fear of losing job in them and acts as a deterrent against such behavior, as there is a fear of getting caught.

This way employers can establish a drug-free workplace. Employees are, therefore, better focused and hence become more productive. Further, it also improves employee-employer relationship as the employer might reward the non-abusers, as a policy measure.

Drug testing at the workplace is likely to help the organizations maintain a healthy, safe and drug-free environment. Such organizations will have optimal employee productivity and reduced medical treatment costs.