“The theme is very relevant for today’s workplace where substance abuse is a real issue affecting real people,” says Gus Stieber of Bensinger DuPont & Associates. “Research has shown that substance abuse negatively impacts workplace injuries, productivity, absenteeism, and health care costs. These are, no doubt, real issues that impact every company’s bottom line.”
Consider that:
- A full 75% of the nation’s current illegal drug users are employed, and 3.1% say they have actually used illegal drugs before or during work hours. And, 79% of the nation’s heavy alcohol users are employed, with 7.1% indicating they have actually consumed alcohol during the workday (US Department of Labor).
- Alcoholism results in roughly 500 million lost workdays annually, and alcohol use can be linked to up to 40% of industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- The cost of substance abuse totals $246 billion -- $148 billion for alcohol, $98 billion for drugs. Lost productivity accounts for $162 billion of the total cost (American Psychological Association).
Despite these alarming statistics, HR Magazine (9/1/07) reports that less than 25% of HR professionals surveyed say that their organizations deal with substance abuse proactively.
Implementing a drug testing program is one way employers can lead the charge against substance abuse. When used properly, these programs can decrease: workplace accidents, production costs, health care costs, workers compensation premiums, turnover, and theft. “Drug testing alone, however, is not enough,” cautions Stieber. “HR professionals, managers and employee supervisors must know how to spot drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace, how to discuss the issue with all employees, and how to direct troubled employees to the most effective treatment options.”
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month is a prime opportunity to highlight potential for red flags for substance abuse. These include:
- Signs of irritability, depression, anger, hostility, withdrawal
- Trouble concentrating
- Absenteeism; tardiness
- Poor work performance
- Uncharacteristic mood or personality changes
For HR professionals, managers or co-workers who suspect an employee is abusing drug or alcohol, tapping into the company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a great first step. EAPs can offer various interventions and programs to help companies deal with these concerns. Some of the standard services EAPs offer include:
- Substance abuse and addiction training to supervisors.
- Substance abuse assessment by professionals.
- Methods to help management constructively address substance abuse issues in the workplace.
- Information to help organizations understand the devastating effects of substance abuse in the workplace for employees and the employer’s bottom line.
Bensinger DuPont & Associates is a privately owned professional services company that is dedicated to promoting healthy outcomes for employees, the workplace, individual and their families through a wide range of consultation, training and counseling services.
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