Controlled substance (both regular drug use and alcohol) abuse, or addiction among employees and others in your workforce can cause expensive problems for your operation that include lost productivity, absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, illegal transactions, theft, and low employee morale. It can also lead to an increase in health care, legal liability, and workers’ compensation costs. Implementing smart policies and testing protocols benefits your people and your operation.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, in 2014 drug abuse cost employers $81 billion annually – and, based on drug testing results, illegal drug use has risen an average of 4% annually since then.
Studies reported in 2017 show that increases in illicit drug use, including cocaine, drive workforce drug positivity to its highest rate in 12 years. Cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine use is up broadly among the United States workforce across multiple specimen types and testing populations. The constantly shifting status of legal use of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes increases the pressure on employers to keep abreast of regulations and best practices.
Controlled substance (especially drug) use, abuse, or addiction among employees and others in your workforce can cause expensive problems for business ranging from lost concentration/productivity, absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, illegal transactions, theft, and low employee morale, to an increase in health care, legal liabilities and workers’ compensation costs. Implementing smart policies and testing protocols benefits your people and your operation.
When looking at resumes, it is worth knowing that workers who report having three or more jobs in the previous five years are about twice as likely to be current or past year users of illegal drugs as those who have had two or fewer jobs.