Employment drug testing is gaining popularity in many organizations. Every business owner wants to protect his employees and also protect themselves from liability issues caused by drug abused employees. Therefore, it helps to create a drug free work environment and saves billions of dollars to the employer. In this article, we discuss the reasons to conduct drug testing at workplace.
- For better recruitment
Pre-employment drug testing is a process of drug testing on those job applicants who are offered the job. Through this test the employer can find the habits of the job applicants. Based on the results, employers can hire the applicant.
If you hire a candidate based on his/her general background without checking any pre-employment drug testing, then there are chances of the employee spoiling the morale of the workplace. Therefore, by conducting pre-employment drug testing saves the employer time, money and efforts upfront by hiring the drug abused candidate.
- For healthy work environment
The primary benefit of implementing drug testing program at workplace is to ensure healthy and safety work environment for the employees. Because drug abusers may do illegal activities like selling drugs to their employees, calling the drug dealers to their workplace, forcing the co-workers to use drugs, etc. Drug abused employees unnecessarily indulge in quarreling with their co-workers and superiors. Therefore, it effects the organizations reputation and productivity of other employees.
- To reduce workplace accidents
Employers should conduct drug tests on employees who are working on risky things like driving, working with sharp objects or handling heavy machines. Because the presence of drug in the person’s body clouds the mind. Therefore, if the mind of the employee is not clear then they are chances of accidents.
- To reduce the healthcare costs
Drug abused employees cost billions of dollars to the employer on healthcare. As these employees take frequent leaves, claims on insurance, medical claims, damages equipments, damages business image, poor productivity, etc., the employes is at a loss. All these things are loss of assets to the employer. Therefore, by conducting drug testing program protects the employer from potential lawsuits caused by drug abusers like accidents, serious crimes and other deadly risks.
- To avoid absenteeism
Drug testing at workplace discourages drug abusing employees in taking drugs. Because it creates a fear of losing job and a fear of loss of reputation among the co-workers. If the employees are addicted to drugs and can’t part their ways with drugs, then such employees should be terminated from the organization to ensure drug free work environment.