Substance Abuse Prevention in the Workplace

According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 70 percent of illegal drug abusers are employed. Employed substance abusers bring their alcohol and drug problems into the workplace, causing less productivity, having increased absenteeism, increased work-related accidents and injuries and more worker's compensation claims. Financial issues for employers involving low morale, impaired judgment and high turnover cannot be measured in dollars and cents, though there is little doubt they are costly. Substance abuse prevention programs are cost effective for employers, because drug abuse seldom improves when ignored.

Initial Challenge for Prevention Programs

• Before any workplace prevention program can be effective, it must first identify those who are in need of it. Because most people do not want to believe their friends and coworkers have substance abuse problems, it is necessary to educate supervisors and management staff on what to look for when considering possible substance abuse in the workplace. Employees who are absent from work more often, especially on Fridays and/or Mondays, should be noted. Employees who are less productive, even when present, should also be watched closely, as distraction and depression can also indicate substance abuse or addiction. Neither of these problems alone means a person is abusing substances, but together, and more frequent than is usually the case, means substance abuse may be considered as a problem.

Tasks of Upper Level Management

• Upper management support is crucial to any workplace substance abuse prevention program. Executives must either establish an employee assistance program (EAP) within the organization or provide access to one located elsewhere for referral purposes. Upper management must also give the program high priority among other supervisors and staff. They must identify organizational problems that indicate below-standard performance that could point toward substance abuse by employees, and educate frontline management staff about them. Some such indicators include property losses and theft, breaches of security, excessive use of benefits and high training costs. Any EAP initiative should also involve drug testing through some established guidelines in the policy and procedures of the organization.

Frontline Management Team

• Frontline supervisors and management staff must set standards for work performance and productivity and question employees who do not meet them. Even the best prevention program is only as effective as frontline managers are assertive and willing to confront substance-abusing, impaired staff. Frontline management and supervisors also need to offer support to impaired employees, referrals to whatever EAP program is available and assist with their re-entrance into the workplace after treatment is provided.