The benefits of Drug Testing
Drug testing amongst employees is carried out by employers in order to find out about problems related to drug addiction amongst their employees. As the problem of drug addiction is a very serious one which affects the professional life of a person, it is in the best interests of the company to find out if any of their employees are indulging in any drug related malpractices.
Though drug testing requires an initial investment by the company, the benefits it provides are many. Most companies follow a two pronged strategy; they screen all new recruits for drug abuse, and also carry out random checks among their existing team members. As drug abuse spreads like cancer, it is better to find out the root of the problem, if it exists, and remove it as soon as possible. This will lead to a much healthier working environment at the organization. Absenteeism due to drug abuse related diseases will be reduced. Problems arising out of accidents at the workplace and also that of turnover will be reduced. As a combination of the above factors the productivity of the company goes up and as a result it enhances the profit margins of the company.
The fact that drug abuse is a problem that cannot be ignored is verified by the following data. An assessment of the workforce showed that almost nine percent of the employees were victims of drug abuse. The studied also destroyed the myth that the employees of bigger organizations are less prone to drug abuse as compared to employees of smaller organizations. The results proved just the vice versa. The survey also proved that almost twelve percent of the job applicants were tested positive for drugs. Another independent study carried out by the Xerox organization showed that accidents at the workplace were reduced by the weeding out of the employees found guilty of drug abuse. Further study has shown that random and pre-employment drug testing bringing down the health claim of employees by almost sixty five percent.
It is therefore clear that investment in drug testing programs is a proven and tested method to enhance the productivity and reduce health costs of company, which has been embraced by many organizations.