How does substance use and abuse threaten jobs?
Substance abuse in the work place affects everyone. When an employee drinks or uses drugs on the job, it not only hurts him/her, but threatens public safety, damages job performance and results in costly expenses both to the company and the employee. Supervisors and coworkers are put in the awkward positions of having to decide whether to cover up for mistakes or report them.
Even if drug use is outside the workplace, it can affect job performance. Substance abusers are ten times more likely to miss work, more likely to be involved in on-the-job accidents and are less productive. And while they aren't working or carrying their workload, someone else has to pick up the slack.
What are the signs of abuse?
Substance abuse in the workplace can be difficult to identify but there are some clues that signal possible drug and/or alcohol problems. Here's what to look for:
Frequent, prolonged, and often unexplained absences
Involvement in accidents both on and off the job
Erratic work patterns and reduced productivity
Indifference to personal hygiene
Overreaction to real or imagined criticism
Physical signs such as exhaustion or hyperactivity, dilated pupils, slurred speech, or an unsteady walk
Marijuana users may have bloodshot or glassy eyes and a persistent cough
Cocaine users may display increased energy. May be subject to extreme mood swings and can become paranoid or delusional
Alcohol abusers find it hard to conceal morning-after hangovers. Their productivity declines and they may show signs of physical deterioration
How to handle a coworker who drinks or uses drugs:
Many coworkers don't know what to do when someone else has a problem on the job. Here are some suggestions:
Don't be an "enabler" — When you cover up for substance abusers, lend them money, or help conceal poor work performance, you are protecting them from the consequences of their behavior and making it possible for them to continue using drugs or alcohol.
Don't look the other way — If you suspect drugs are being used or being sold, pass the word on to a supervisor or to security or human resources personnel. Contacts are confidential and anonymous.
Don't intervene on your own — Drug abuse and drug dealing are serious problems that should be handled by qualified professionals. Contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or a professional interventionist or substance abuse counselor.
Don't worry about jeopardizing a substance abuser's job — Many employees worry that if they report a coworker, it will result in that person being fired or penalized. Depending on company policy, the offender will be subject to consequences. However, getting clean is hard work, but usually worth it in the long run. In fact, the threat of being fired often prompts drug- and alcohol-troubled workers to accept help they had previously refused. Working with substance abusers, EAP professionals seek to provide whatever help makes it possible for employees to remain on or return to the job.
Federal and non-governmental Drug Free Workplace (DFW) programs are in operation today in many large companies, and smaller employers are urged to adopt these programs as well.
Many companies use Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to address issues affecting job performance — including substance abuse. Information on developing Drug Free Workplace programs can be found at: http://dwp.samhsa.gov/index.aspx, a division of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and at http://www.drugfreeworkplace.org/, the Institute for a Drug Free Workplace. The Department of Labor also has a Drug Free Workplace Advisor web site at http://www.dol.gov/elaws/drugfree.htm that helps federal agencies and their contractors make sure they are meeting laws and requirements of being or working with a Federal Drug Free Workplace.
