Every business wants to have their operations running smooth and therefore the human resources department plays such an important role in not just recruiting but closely assessing the kind of person an applicant is. One of the most formidable problems that is being faced by pretty much all sections of the society is the drug abuse or intake of illicit drugs. From a broader perspective of creating a healthy working environment for all employees and giving back to the society in the form of corporate social responsibility, organizations all over the world are coaxed into conducting pre drug tests on potential and existing employees. This, for various reasons, has not gone down too well with every section of the working class.
Many organizations believe that employee drug testing helps in improving the overall work productivity, service quality and also helps foster a clean working environment for everybody. In the recent times, the use of prohibited drugs has risen among the young. This has led to many road accidents, mishaps at residential places and have even led to some heinous crimes. Of course, businesses also understand that there is a cost factor involved in conducting these tests done but then again, it is not a recurring cost and tends to benefit all.
Employee drug testing needs to be done in a discrete manner and must always be administered by a representative of the organization and a representative of the agency conducting the tests. It is possible that some of the employees may resist from under going the drug test because they may feel uncomfortable and even offended however it is crucial for the well being and overall development of the organization. (more...)