How does substance abuse affect the workplace?
- A company can expect to experience higher absenteeism and more job-related accidents because of employees’ drug use.
- Business owners lose an estimated $100 billion per year because of substance abuse.
- Employees who use drugs are only two thirds as productive as nonusers, and their use contributes to increased thefts, damaged equipment and other unnecessary costs in the workplace.
- According to the U.S. Department of Labor, one in five workers report that they have had to work harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker, or have been put in danger or injured as a result of a fellow employee's drinking.
- Small business owners are especially vulnerable because they often do not have an established drug-free workplace policy, do not require new employees to submit to drug testing prior to employment and have smaller financial reserves to expend if an employee causes a job-related accident or injury while impaired.