Smart Onboarding Decisions Can Save You Stress & Money

At ARCpoint Labs of San Rafael, we understand how pivotal a Human Resources (HR) department can be to the overall success of a company. Hiring trustworthy, dependable, and highly skilled employees is the bedrock of any business. We suggest enforcing a drug screening policy to ensure you don’t run into drug abuse issues later. A simple, affordable, and proactive testing protocol can be an effective tool to save yourself from misspent resources and toxic workplace scenarios.

Drug testing is an integral step in the onboarding process for countless professional positions across the United States. The staggering numbers of employee drug use justify this increasingly commonplace requirement. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) recently reported that 67.9% of all drug users in the United States were actively employed.

Further alarming statistics on substance use in the workplace include:

Approximately 75% of binge and heavy drinkers were employed, according to the 2012 National Survey of Drug Use and Health
Drug or alcohol use contributes to nearly 50% of industrial injuries
On average, 15% – 17% of employees in a company will regularly misuse substances (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Your HR department has the right to request drug testing from prospective employees. Doing so will protect your company by successfully vetting potential drug abusers before they wreak havoc.

The Negative Consequences of Drug Abuse in The Workplace

Drug abuse among employees can severely hamper your workforce’s productivity, performance, and overall morale. Furthermore, drug addicts are prone to mood swings, theft, and other security issues. Your responsibility is to do everything you can to mitigate security and safety issues for patrons and employees. Preventive measures will help you gatekeep and filter out drug users before they harm your company.

An employee addicted to illicit drugs will likely show up to work impaired or unsuitable for work – putting themselves and your business at risk.

Don’t take our word. Look at these troubling statistics on drug abuse in the workplace:

Substance abusers miss work 16 times more often than non-users
Substance abusers are 33% less productive than non-using workers
Substance abusers are 5 times more likely to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits and cost employers 2 times more in workers’ compensation than non-users
Substance abusers are 10 times more likely to steal at the workplace

Avoid Being a Statistic: Screen & Vet for Drug Abuse

There are many drug tests readily available on the market. It is your job to decide which testing strategy works best for your company and industry. For example, according to the Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder by Industry report, the mining and construction sectors suffered from the highest heavy alcohol abuse rates (at 17.5 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively).

Meanwhile, the top three industries for illicit drug use by employed adults were:

Accommodations and food services at 19.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation at 13.7%
Management of companies and enterprises, administration, support, waste management, and remediation services at 12.1%

As an employer, it is wise to test in proportion to the likelihood of alcohol or illicit drug abuse in your industry. Most drug testing methods can detect the most common illegal substances, including:

Marijuana
Cocaine
LSD/synthetic drugs
Heroin

There is a wide range of sample collection methods for corporate drug screening, such as:

Saliva
Urine specimens
Oral fluid
Follicle/hair
Fingernail/cuticles

Expanding your testing panel might be wise given the increasing abuse of designer and prescription drugs, such as MDMA or Oxycodone. Ordering a comprehensive drug testing program will boost your HR department’s ability to enforce strict screening policies. Some drug tests can detect only very recent drug use, while others can help detect substances taken months before the test. ARCpoint Labs of San Rafael is happy to discuss specific testing options and personalize a program just for you!

Making Drug Testing an Open, Forthright, & Transparent Part of Your Onboarding Process

Each company will want to deploy a drug testing strategy that specifically tackles issues and probabilities that pertain to their field, industry, and corporate needs. Drug and alcohol testing will be especially critical if you operate a DOT-regulated organization that adheres to federal rules and regulations.

The Part 40 rule, for example, requires safety-sensitive employers working within any mode of federal transportation to implement pre-employment, for-cause, randomized, and post-accident drug and alcohol testing. We can help you navigate the confusing process – ensuring you satisfy all drug and alcohol testing obligations with DOT-compliant solutions.

Whatever the situation, every prospective employee or hire deserves direct and honest communication. The HR Department must duly inform future employees why you require drug testing and what your testing policies entail. Explain how drug and alcohol testing improves safety, productivity, and the overall well-being of everyone involved with the company.

We recommend detailing why such screening processes are invaluable, necessary, and applied to every employee equally. Emphasizing that they are not the result of prejudice, suspicion, or skepticism can prove beneficial in establishing a trusted relationship.

Are you ready to implement a comprehensive drug and alcohol abuse policy? Reach out to our team today at (415) 475-4620 to see what testing services we can customize for your situation!