3 Crucial Drug Policies to Implement in Your Workplace

Misuse and abuse of drugs, prescribed or illicit, in the workplace contributes to:

• Increases in critical errors, injuries, and incidents
• More frequent and/or longer-term disability leave
• Higher costs related to workers’ compensation, insurance fraud, medical care, and treatment
• Lost productivity

As leaders of our organizations, we are responsible for facilitating continuous improvement in our processes and employees. Organizational awareness, education, and prevention can help businesses improve employee health and cut healthcare costs associated with addiction, while avoiding negative business consequences like those listed above.

3 Policies: Awareness, Education, and Prevention

You can spread awareness within your organization by teaching your workforce about the consequences of drug misuse and abuse, as well as training them to recognize signs of drug addiction in others. According to HelpGuide.org, drug use and abuse may be recognized by physical, behavioral, and psychological warning signs, such as:

• Changes in appetite; sudden weight loss or weight gain
• Deterioration of physical appearance, personal grooming habits
• Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination
• Decreased work performance
• Frequently having accidents
• Unexplained change in personality or attitude
• Sudden mood swings, irritability, or angry outbursts
• Periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness
• Lack of motivation; appears lethargic
• Appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason

Leadership and employees should be aware of and educated about workplace drug policies beyond merely being advised to read a policy. Candidates must be provided policies and procedures during onboarding, annually or semi-annually, when policy changes are made, a drug-related event happens at work, or a news event causes concern in your organization.

Prevention strategies for the workplace incorporate both awareness and education, as well as pre- and post-employment drug testing. Medical sources report that education and drug testing in the workplace provide benefits such as:

• Higher morale
• Fewer workplace accidents
• Less employee theft
• More productivity
• Less employee turnover
• Lower cost of insurance

Drug testing can help employers identify drug issues in the workplace and plan a course for assisting afflicted employees with getting treatment. Some employers conduct basic 5-panel drug testing on their candidates before hiring, while others prefer to conduct extended 11-panel drug testing in order to identify potential prescription drug abusers.

Experienced and accredited third party background screeners like InfoMart can assist your organization in creating a drug testing program that keeps your organization safe and healthy. As a Third-Party Administrator (TPA), InfoMart accesses a nationwide network of screening facilities that allows us to drug test any applicant within the normal course of their employment background screening.

For detailed workplace drug prevention strategies, sign up to receive our upcoming white paper: 4 Steps to Promoting a Workplace Free of Painkiller Prescription Addiction.