A successful and happy work environment in which the employees can be productive and thrive in their daily routines is something all companies want to have. And what better way to do this than to ensure that they are healthy and that they can trust each other in tough situations. Despite sounding unbelievable at first, a lot of people who have drug problems have regular jobs. As a matter of fact, according to research, almost 70% of all people who frequently experience drug-related problems are full-time and part-time employees. Naturally, their colleagues and employers know nothing about it, at least if they do not perform workplace drug testing.
In modern times there are many ways to examine the health and well-being of people. What is more, we live in the day and age when the happiness of people is important and where everyone should feel secure and included. Considering people with problems often refuse, forget, or lack the courage to seek help, an initiative like this can also save lives. In this article, we will talk about the tips for a successful workplace drug test program that can help some of your employees and educate others. To find more about it, make sure to check out Health Street.
1. Know When to Test Your Employees and Who to Focus on the Most
In general, an action like this is performed in an average workplace for different reasons and on different occasions. There are some clear and obvious rules regarding the appropriate times of testing. You don’t necessarily have to go to a laboratory to be able to do a drug and alcohol test. A good rule to have that everyone should be aware about is mandatory testing in specific times during and employee’s time at the company. For example, the most common practices include pre-employment, post-accident, and random tests. Furthermore, many offices also conduct drug tests after an employee has been away for a long time or after other types of tests. If you stick to such a rule and schedule the culture in the company will change and it will not be a sensitive topic.
2. Have Actual Rules
Speaking of the rules, you should also have clear information in the form of documents and any employee can access, and more importantly, that applies to all. Making your workforce know they are equal is a key component of a trustworthy and safe environment. Once the rules are set in place, they should be communicated and known by all the members of your team, no matter how big it is. No bending of the said rules or exceptions are to be made for anyone. When they exist and when people know them, finding shortcuts and playing favorites will affect the behavior and morale of the employees and the trust of a safe zone will evaporate.
3. The Right Kind of Test
You will want to be efficient with these things so as not to lose money in the process, which is why you have to evaluate your options when it comes to the right type of test for your workplace. Testing itself is the expensive part of the problem, so picking the wrong method may prove futile and expensive. Urine tests remain the most common since they allow testing for a wide variety of drugs. On the other hand, hair tests are much more accurate. Do some research about the most used method in your community and ask around to learn what other companies are doing.
4. Become Familiar with Early Signs
As you know, a healthy and productive workplace, as well as one that complies with the laws, has no drugs, alcohol, and other substances on the premise. It is no longer a personal problem if it affects the colleagues of the individual and their place of work. Therefore, it would be smart if you and your employees are educated on identifying the early signs of drug use. Many tip-offs may require a deeper look but there are many reasons why you should be suspicious. The easiest thing to spot if the individual is being under the influence while on the job, while other factors like burning through the salary quickly, being late, looking pale, losing a lot of weight, and acting suspicious and defensive may also be red flags.
5. Medical Marijuana Should Also Be Considered
While marijuana is enjoying a period of legalization in many cases, people still abuse it. Now more than ever there are people who actively consume the plant in many different ways. The guidelines for smoking it for medical reasons are not that strict, which means the individuals are kind of left to their own devices. This brings potential problems because they may be overdoing which renders them unable to concentrate, stay awake, or work. Many do not consider marijuana a drug like the rest of the substances, but it can still be a problem if an employee is addicted.
6. Pick the Right People
You will have a dedicated person responsible for collecting the specimens from all the employee, and it should definitely be your right hand man / woman or somebody who you have complete trust in. Although trained professionals often do it themselves or the employees are required to take in their specimen themselves, a situation in which you will have to appoint individuals to help may occur. You will want the right people for this task as you do not want someone gullible, easily manipulated and untrustworthy. Introducing a few supervisors, regular employees with an extra task of recognizing early signs and educating their fellow colleagues, may also be useful.
7. Be Open about It
Last but not least, you should be able to talk to the people in your company about anything work related, even personal if it affects the job and the performance. Therefore, it should be your number one priority to develop an environment in which they will feel safe to tell you things, where each individual can have suggestions about potential improvements, and where a troubled person can come forth. In such a place, talking about regular drug tests should not be a problem and everyone would comply without any fuss.
