Abstract Human resource professionals were


One-fifth (19%) of companies experienced an increase in employee productivity after the implementation of a drug testing program


asked about their organizations’ drug testing programs and reported the fol- lowing perceptions after the implementa- tion of a drug testing program: One-fifth (19%) of companies experienced an increase in employee productivity after the implementation of a drug testing program, employers with high absentee- ism rates (more than 15%) reported a drop from 9% to 4% after implementing a drug testing program, an improvement of 56%; companies with high workers’ compensation incidence rates (more than 6%) reported a drop from 14% to 6% after implementing drug testing pro- grams, an improvement of 57%; and 16% of companies reported a net employee turnover decrease. Additional research needs to be conducted to further confirm these findings but this initial pilot study suggests that drug testing has a positive


impact in companies creating a more productive, safe and stable workforce.


Keywords Drug testing, absenteeism, worker’s


compensation incidence rates, pro- ductivity, employee turnover, human resources, pre-employment, for cause, random, mandated


Introduction Drug testing of employees is a relative-


ly new tool used in the last 20 years for evaluating candidates for employment and to promote safety in the workplace. Drug testing as we know it today did not exist prior to 1980. However, in 1981 the crash of a Navy jet on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier resulted in the death and injury of scores of enlisted men. Unfortunately drug testing revealed the presence of drugs in not only that aircraft carrier’s personnel but widespread in the


Figure 1 Demographics of the Study


10


datia focus


spring 2012


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