subject: Tell-Tale Signs of Drug Abuse in the Workplace [print this page] Tell-Tale Signs of Drug Abuse in the Workplace
Employees who use recreational drugs run a risk of letting it affect their workplace. If it becomes a problem, their abusive habits can create dangerous situations and possible injuries at work, and cost the company large amounts of money in the long run. It is in a company's best interest to detect if an employee develops an abusive drug problem early and root it out immediately.
Keeping your workplace drug-free means knowing how to spot the problem and fix it without violating employees' rights. But how can you see something if you don't know what to look for?
Here are three significant changes which indicate a drug problem with an employee:
1. Capabilities
Certain drugs could cause employees to stumble when walking or fumble with equipment they work with. This could lead to a major accident in the workplace that in turn harms other employees. Drugs can also cause inattention or forgetfulness that causes a supervisor's request or instructions to fall on deaf ears. An employee under-the-influence may miss a critical piece of information that could hurt the company down the line.
2. Productivity
Sporadic bursts of high productivity followed by low levels of work output is a possible early warning sign of inconsistent productivity due to a drug problem. In the early stages of cocaine use and certain prescription drugs, individuals perform better because the drug accelerates their heart rate, increases blood pressure and stimulates their nervous system. On the opposite side of that, Marijuana makes some people inattentive to deadlines or unable to gauge the quality of their work.
3. Personality
If your employee displays inconsistencies in their personality during important meetings or interactions with clients, you may need to evaluate their situation. Irritability or depression often follows a high produced by whatever drug your employee is using. The high itself may be signaled by a euphoria that manifests itself as uncharacteristic behavior. An erratic and unpredictable personality can cause major damage to your company's client relationships, and may also lead to internal conflict amongst the rest of your staff.
There are a lot of ways you can discourage drug use in your workplace. Here are some a couple of simple steps you can follow to create a drug-free atmosphere:
Develop a drug abuse policy and enforce it
Your first line of defense is a policy clearly stating that you don't tolerate illegal drug use at work. Include the policy in your employee handbook, post it somewhere in plain sight, and bring it up it to your employees periodically. Your attorney should review the policy to ensure it complies with federal, state and local laws. Uniformly and consistently enforce your drug abuse policy. Don't make any exceptions or consolations based on rank or position.
Conduct Drug Testing Often
Home drug test kits properly applied in the workplace can be a cheap alternative to hiring a lab, especially if you test often. This is a surefire way for employers, especially those whose employees who do potentially dangerous work, to make sure they're not using illegal drugs.
You can purchase these home drug test kits to test your workplace at a discounted rate from DrugTestClub.com. Their drug test program provides accurate results along with on-going support and information. Drug Test Club brand home drug test kits are simple to activate and test for 10 different drugs, including Marijuana. For a limited time, Drug Test Club is giving a free monthly trial of the program including a free home drug test. All you have to do is pay shipping! The free trial will give you an idea of what the program is like, allow you to try it yourself, examine the results, and see if it is something that is of interest to your family. A full DrugTestClub.com membership includes support, a members only web page, lab confirmation access and more. School and group drug testing programs are available as well.
