Most discussions on drug and alcohol testing centre on the importance of establishing policies and enforcing them with procedures like pre-employment, for-cause, and random testing programs. However, it is just as important to talk about the benefits accrued as a result of these policies and procedures. In fact, the benefits that are derived from drug and alcohol policies and procedures extend beyond the workplace and beyond workplace safety. Workplace testing programs contribute to society as a whole because they educate people on the harms associated with substance abuse, and those same people take that learning with them into the community and their homes.
Workplace safety is improved with drug and alcohol testing. The safety improvements begin with the detection of people who may be impaired by drugs and alcohol, leading to their suspension of duties until they attend a rehabilitation program or get other help. Repeated use of drugs and alcohol almost always leads to eventual dismissal if the employer is serious about keeping illicit substances out of the workplace. Creating a workplace culture that is intolerant of drug and alcohol use promotes responsible behaviours and an attitude of cooperation and concern for co-workers. However, there are also a number of benefits that Australian society enjoys as a result employers enforcing zero tolerance workplaces.
Millions Strong
Employers can wield a lot of influence over a large group of people. It is the employer who decides which people to hire and who gets continued employment. That is a powerful motivator for workers to not use drugs and alcohol in the workplace. The latest employment figures for the number of full-time workers, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, was 11.6 million people.1 That is potentially almost 12 million people who can hear a message about the dangers of substance abuse from employers. In the language of marketers, that represents remarkable opportunities for market penetration.
The same workers who hear the message in the workplace during drug and alcohol workshops instructing on policies and procedures return to their homes and communities every day. The messages they hear in the workplace about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol will certainly convince many of them to avoid substance abuse. These same people who understand the health risks will share that information with friends and family members.
Using Leverage to Reduce Substance Abuse
Another good example of the advantages society enjoys through the efforts of employers is the delivery of the message that there are intervention strategies that can help. People in the community who may not be aware of the best way to find help can learn from workers exposed to the strategies in workplace training sessions or as a result of personal experiences with intervention programs after testing positive for drugs or alcohol during employment. Employers have a lot of leverage in terms of convincing workers to seek help in a zero tolerance workplace.
The benefits of workplace drug and alcohol programs are not confined to the workplace. People who hear consistent messages about the harm drugs and alcohol cause, and support a substance free culture, are likely to share the information beyond the workplace. Mediscreen (http://mediscreen.net.au/) offers flexible drug and alcohol screening program services that can play an important role in developing a zero tolerance culture that benefits the workplace and society as well.
This article has been taken from http://mediscreen.net.au/articles/?p=2262
No comments:
Post a Comment