The topic of reasonable suspicion of drug and alcohol abuse at work is something we get a lot of calls about from HR line and staff managers, alike, and it can be one of the thorniest issues to deal with.
It's also costly for organizations. The George Washington University Medical Center's alcohol cost calculator is worth visiting to see the impact alcohol abuse, alone, can have on your organization. For example, a 1,000 employee manufacturing company in Minnesota would have 98 problem drinkers and 149 dependents who are problem drinkers, with attendant medical, missed work and social costs.
The issues around drug and alcohol abuse, and the process to follow, may seem daunting to some, and some managers may find it tempting to turn a blind eye when they suspect an employee of abusing drugs or alcohol. However, depending on your organization's policy, the role of the employee and potential negative impact on the safety and well being of co-workers, customers and, in the case of healthcare organizations, patients, not addressing suspected problems can have legal implications for your organization in several areas.
Also, supervisor involvement may actually make a substance abuse intervention more effective. A recent study by the University of Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions found that supervisor contact—detecting a substance-abuse problem through normal interaction with an employee—has little effect on employee alcohol or drug use. However, supervisor enforcement, or "the ability of supervisors to identify employee substance-use problems as well as their willingness to address employee substance-use problems," can be a strong combination.
The study would seem to confirm that managers should be trained on how to spot the signs of alcohol and drug abuse. Yet, a national survey published in 2007 by the Hazelden Foundation found that only 22% of human resources professionals said their company was proactively dealing with substance abuse. It also found that 20% cited a lack of experience in identifying substance abuse and addiction as a personal barrier to helping employees with those issues.
We provide training on this topic—both on what to look for and the considerations around reasonable suspicion, and best practices around how to approach it.
