Alcohol is the most abused drug in the world. Nearly 14 million adults in the United States suffer from alcoholism, and of those 14 million, very few seek out the help they need. With alcohol being legal, it can be difficult to form a workplace policy around the substance. In addition to the legality, it’s also difficult to produce an accurate alcohol drug test. That is why it is so vital for a workplace supervisor to be able to weed out the problem employees and follow the necessary procedures to remove them. It could save your business– and even the life of that employee.
Alcoholism in the Workplace
Drinking alcohol in your own personal time is one thing, but bringing it into the workplace is something completely different. Alcohol impairs judgement, motor skills, balance and speech which can be a problem in almost any industry– especially commercial driving. Studies show that employees who deal with alcohol dependency are more likely to be absent or inefficient during office hours.
Supervisor’s Responsibility
The number ONE thing to remember as a supervisor is that it is your job to control that particular employee INSIDE the workplace. You are NOT responsible for diagnosing their problems, but you are responsible for keeping them, their colleagues and yourself safe. If performance errors start to occur more frequently, it is not wrong to start to inspect that employee’s habits more attentively. If you do start to see some warning signs, it’s better to be safe than sorry on an error report.
Things to Look For
- Unexplained or unauthorized absences from work.
- Frequent tardiness.
- Monday or Friday absences are more concerning.
- Missing deadlines.
- Reports from other employees about concerning behavior.
- Obvious signs like slurred speech, balance and stench.
Here at National Drug Screening, our Drug-Free Workplace program provides your supervisors with the training they need to seek out problem employees. Depending on the nature of your business, ONE problem employee could be detrimental to your financial future.
To inquire about Drug-Free Workplace service, call 1-866-843-4545 or click around on our website!
