Drug Testing is essential to Employment Screening and an employer will benefit from implementing firm policies to ban illicit substances from the workplace.

Employers and employees need to work together to make sure that everyone is safe in their own roles when it comes to making a productive, positive, and comfortable workplace. It helps to have a drug testing program in place to help meet these goals.

Here are 10 reasons employers should implement and maintain an employee drug testing program in their company.

1. Companies with Drug Screening Programs Improve Their Reputation

Consumers are shown to have more faith in the quality of products and the safety of equipment that are produced by companies who follow best practices in the workplace and enforce a standard drug testing policy for employees. Plus, job seekers are looking for a reputable place to work with a positive work culture where programs and guidelines are in place to help them succeed.

2. Drug Testing is Essential to Safety in the Workplace

When an employer establishes a drug testing program, it protects itself and its employees against workplace accidents and drug related crimes. Employees place their faith in their employer to hire individuals with clean criminal records and the ability to handle the demands of their job while adhering to the company's established policies.

3. Drug Screening Policies Help Maintain Compliance

As a rule, businesses need to follow all applicable laws in their state, as well as regulations at the federal level. In some industries, employee drug testing is required–especially those that must meet rigorous public safety standards.

4. A Drug Screening Program Reduces the Costs of Insurance

The costs of alcohol and drug-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses can be very steep for businesses. A routine drug testing program can help businesses avoid skyrocketing insurance costs, and will help to reduce workers’ compensation claims.

5. A Drug-Free Workplace Will Increase Trust and Improve Morale

An employee drug screening program involving random and/or routine testing for drugs and alcohol will not only make the workplace safer through deterrence, it will help build a positive corporate culture where employees trust each other to perform their jobs safely in the absence of illicit substances.

6. A Drug-Free Workforce Will Boost Productivity

An employee drug testing program can help to cut down on workplace accidents, unplanned time off, and habitual absenteeism. The employee drug screening process will help reduce the costs of training stemming from frequent employee turnover, which disrupts the work culture, slows production, and hurts a company’s bottom line.

7. Employment Drug Testing Deters Substance Abuse

Effective drug testing programs can reveal people who might need help for a substance abuse problem, as well as help to keep an employee from succumbing to a drug abuse disorder that could threaten a company and ruin the employee’s life.

8. Drug Testing Policies Reduce Risk to Employers, Workers, and the Public

In order to keep employees, customers, and the general public from being impacted by employees who are under the influence of drugs, it is important to have routine drug tests for employees. If set up correctly, a drug screening policy will help keep staff and customers safe from accidents and crime and protect the employer from liability.

9. Employers and Employees Build Trust Working Together to Stop Drug Abuse

When a company drug testing policy is done right, employees gain the knowledge and tools they need to help maintain a drug-free workplace. They learn to detect signs of substance abuse and recognize the negative effects of drug addiction. Through this cooperation, a work culture builds on a foundation of trust and strengthens the company as a whole.

10. Comprehensive Background Screening Reduces the Risk of a Bad Hire

A comprehensive Pre-Employment Background Check can reveal criminal activity related to illegal drugs. Furthermore, a mandatory drug test prior to employment will ensure companies can avoid hiring people who have used illegal drugs in the past. The combination of a thorough background check and a pre-employment drug test will help safeguard an employer against hiring the wrong person.

CIC Pre-Employment Screening and Drug Testing Programs

The primary benefits to establishing a company drug testing program is that your employees will be safer, you will reduce your liability, and your company’s overall productivity will increase.

Employers can turn to CIC for employment screening and drug testing programs that are tailored to their company's needs–as well as the needs of their employees–in order to maintain a safe-at-work environment. We will assist you to find a plan that makes sense within your industry, keeping you compliant with the laws and regulations governing your business.

For more information about this article, or general Employment Screening Services, please contact us at 1.800.573.2201 / 419.874.2201.