Introduction
Despite strong recommendation from Central Government to employers to introduce workplace guidance on drug and alcohol misuse, most employers still do not have one. Some organisations are more likely to treat drug and alcohol misdemeanors as a discipline issue, but some would prefer to see this type of misuse treated as a medical issue. Either way, it is now very evident that drug and alcohol misuse is a growing problem which affects not just individuals, but society as well. In the workplace, people affected by alcohol or drugs can be a danger to themselves and their colleagues. Many jobs create stress for employees which can make them more vulnerable to drugs and alcohol misuse. The dangers are greatly increased when employees operate machinery, or work in other safety critical environments.
An effective drugs & alcohol policy can contribute to a reduction in the negative effects of adverse health consequences, increased absenteeism, deterioration in work relations or job performance, lowered productivity or turnover, increased accident rates, increased training and recruitment costs and damage to the reputation of the enterprise or business.
Almost 17 million working days are lost each year due to alcohol misuse alone.
People can still be under the influence of drugs or alcohol the morning after and because of this their judgment and skills may be impaired. Whether they are driving a van, company car, fork lift truck, operating machinery or using computers and making decisions, their reactions can be slowed and mistakes made - or perhaps a sick day is taken. However, a drugs and alcohol policy is not intended to intrude upon the individuals' privacy - far from it.
What your work-force do in their spare time is up to them, but when it affects their work, it's up to you.
Your policy will only address issues where, as a result of drug and/or alcohol misuse, health or behaviour affects conduct, safety or work performance. Your policy will be based primarily upon prevention and, if this fails, will provide guidance to detect, act upon and therefore provide a solution to the problem.
Our mission is to help you get the most and the best from your staff.
Of those companies who have a policy, rules on drugs and alcohol use will vary according to the nature of the job or organisation. A strict no tolerance rule could be in place, but other businesses may permit social drinking at lunchtime, for example. As a result, more and more organisations are implementing policies to guard against the varied consequences that could occur with misuse.