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Drug use is an issue which pervades all aspects of an individual’s life, including their performance at work. It can negatively affect productivity, contribute to accidents and injury to self and others, and lead to increased absenteeism and high turnover rates. It can also affect the morale of other staff members.
As such, drug use, misuse and addiction are occupational health problems which should not be ignored by employers. Workplace drug policies are the key to an effective response by organisations. They set out guidelines surrounding drug use, as well as the procedures to be followed, available support and how it can be accessed.
The latter is particularly important as workplaces can be a valuable source of support for persons battling with addiction. Without these policies in place, employees are often afraid to admit that they have a problem and need help, as they are concerned about losing their jobs and being discriminated against at work.
Likewise, employers often do not know how to respond when they suspect that one of their employees may have a drug use problem. Together, these result in treatment being delayed or never received, thus underscoring the value of workplace drug policies at the individual level.
Other steps which companies can take to ensure that they are responsive to the issue of drug use and addiction are: fostering a positive and supportive working environment; ensuring that staff have access to Employee Assistance Programmes; offering health benefits, which include counselling and access to treatment and rehabilitation, and engaging organisations, such as the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA), to provide drug education for their employees and train their supervisors and managers to recognise potential warning signs.
Collectively, these initiatives will promote a culture of non-judgement within workplaces and equip organisations to effectively address the issue of drug use and addiction.