Drugs and alcohol in the workplace are not only costing Australian businesses money in absenteeism but also a massive $6 Billion in lost productivity according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF). Further to the direct financial costs businesses suffer, there are concerning health issues that provide further stresses in the workplace.

Some of the key Workplace Health and Safety issues that employers are dealing with include impaired or altered memory, concentration, reaction times, dexterity and mood. These can all contribute to the risk of accidents, loss of productivity and absenteeism. The ADF reports the most common cause is due to the ‘hangover’ period after having at-risk amounts of alcohol outside of work. Although certain hangover ‘cures’ may lead employees to think they feel better, the blood alcohol concentration doesn’t change. The use of certain illicit drugs can extend the recovery period up to several days, which in turn affects the employee’s ability to perform.

Contrary to popular opinion, the greater costs to employers comes from the larger proportion of people who are moderate drinkers. This is especially true for those who occasionally or infrequently drink to excess or occasionally use illicit drugs. Studies have shown that employees who are alcohol and drug dependent actually have less of an impact on the workplace. Another important key to the costs and impact on the workforce is that people who are currently in the workforce are more likely to have consumed alcohol or illicit drugs in the past 12 months in comparison to people who are not currently in the workforce.

Whilst drugs may have greater impacts on an individual, alcohol presents the biggest issue for employers. Phillip Collins of the ADF has said “Drugs are a small part of the population; a small percentage of the population take recreational drugs. Marijuana, about 10 per cent of the population; methamphetamines, about 2 per cent to 4 per cent; whereas alcohol runs to 83 percent.” It’s alcohol where the major issues lie and the numbers quite honestly speak for themselves, as it is more accepted to ‘have a few’ drinks. Although these statistics should not take the spotlight off drug use, it should provoke some serious thought around the alcohol policy in your workplace.

Drug use within and outside the workplace poses some different problems for employers. Whilst certain drugs may affect people differently, the important issue within the workplace is the recovery period as stated earlier in this article. Even though statistics don’t highlight this as a widespread occurrence, it is important to reflect upon how this affects the workplace.

Drugs and alcohol in the workplace might be costing you more than you think, especially the morale, environment and culture of your work force. How effective are your current policies regarding drugs and alcohol in the workplace? What are the real costs to your business as a result of drug and alcohol issues? Focusing on your policies and investing in measures to reduce the negative effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace might provide returns to your business that were unimagined.

Resources
Alcohol and Drug Foundation – Workplace drug testing
Drug Info – Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace