Introduction
Apart from affecting an individual’s physical, social, and mental health, the subjects of alcoholism and drugs have a weighty effect on worker’s productivity. Over the years, the issues have surfaced at the workplaces a fact that various statistics given by various scholars affirms, and without hesitation, they present serious challenges to an organization as a whole (Ghodse, 2005). The use of alcohol as well as drugs as a result of such indicators becomes an occupational safety and health disquiet in situations where their ability to exercise proper judgment, synchronization, motor control, attentiveness, and vigilance is hindered at his/her place of work. Such factors not only hinder the individual’s performance at work, but also negatively affect fell workmates for they increase the risk of injury and illness to them (TUC, 2010). Equally, it would be viewed to be a situation whereby a worker is assumed to be impaired as a result of alcohol and other related drug use. Such impairment aspects include but not limited to exhaustion, medical conditions, noise, and work-related stress. It is from that rationale that this paper would endeavor at elucidating and giving further details of the prevalence on the behavioral issue as well as the factors that results from such a behavior (Tobutt, 2011). In addition, the paper will be expounding on the strategies of preventing or responding to such behavioral issues at the workplace reducing their effects.
Description of the Behavioral Issue and Its Prevalence
Undoubtedly, alcohol and drug related issues among employees have a capability of resulting to expensive problems for an organization with such workers. It therefore, results to not only low productivity, but also increased absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, theft, as well as reduce workforce morale (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2010). Moreover, it has the capacities of increase the health care necessities, legal liabilities, and other employee’s compensations costs. Psychological or stress related effects of alcohol and drug effects at the workplace ought not to be forgotten as well. According to NCADD, it was indicated that organizations and employers incur a cost of approximately over $81 billion annually as a result of alcoholism and drug abuse by their workers (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2010). In addition to that, it truly would be deduced from the NCADD fact sheets that workers that have reported to have occupied over three jobs within a span of five years are twice probable to be affected by alcoholism of drug abuse or was previously affected by the same (Roman, 2003). That would be expected bearing in mind that over 70% of all the 14.8 billion American populace that are under the use of alcohol and drugs are either employed by an organization or government employed.
That explains why the NCADD concluded that Employee Assistance Program (EAP) notion as the best joint labor management program that would be used for such employees. Consequently, the formation of Drug-Free Workplace Programs (DFWP) was formulated to address such issues that were getting common in the workplace (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2010). Other statistics deduced from the NCDD indicating the prevalence of the issue include the industrial fatalities that are recorded to be as high as 40% linked to alcoholism and drug consumption, over 60% of alcohol and drug related abuse result to work performance challenges, shortfalls of productivity and efficiency were mainly attributed to the consumption of alcohol, and a majority of employees who had serious challenges at work indicated to increase their alcohol and drug consumption rates (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2010). Were it not for the predominance and commonness of such conducts at the workplace, such organizations and programs would not have seen the light of day. However, their existence clearly indicates that the matter does exist, and it is a major concern for many employers as well as the organization.
Factors for the Behavioral Issue
There are various reasons that would be attributed to such be behavioral issue at the workplaces. However, a majority of individuals that drink and abuse drugs at the work place have a past history of consumption. In addition to that reason for drinking, having a bad day or a good day in one reason that most people give for their drinking and drug use at their work stations (Tobutt, 2011). The notion that the doctors recommend a glass of red wine a night lowers the risk of heart disease and that they are right because they went to medical school is also a common reason that many come up with for their excessive drinking. That is considering that fact that once an individual is used to having one for the road, it becomes normal and dependence set in without notice. Believing that drinking makes friends or lubricates a team effort at the workplace has found its way to the various reasons for drinking and drug abuse at workplaces. For those that will not do so, they are considered unfit to join the group something that compels many to join the drinking club (TUC, 2010). Drinking games, unattainable goals and objectives at the workplace, domestic stress, low job satisfaction, periods of inactivity and boredoms, remote and irregular supervision, easy access to such substance, recurrent and unchallenging ditties as well as lack of motivation are additional factors that might be attributed to the issue of alcoholism and drug abuse at the workplace by employees (Roman, 2003). Other important causal factors might include financial challenges, harassment, interpersonal conflicts, lack of participation in decision-making, unrealistic performance targets and family and relationship problems among others.
Effects of the Behavioral Issue at the workplace
Various negative job performance effects are likely to happen as a result of the behavioral issue under deliberation here. Together with those that have been expounded exceedingly, they include inconsistent work quality, poor concentration resulting from lack of focus, lowered productivity or erratic work patterns, increased absenteeism, unexplained disappearance from their job posts, as well as causing unwanted conflicts at the workplace (TUC, 2010). It terms of their workplace behaviors, they are more likely to be faced with financial problems, they will complain about their marital and home problems, wanting personal hygiene, and an increased needless risk taking not forgetting to mention that fact that they blame fellow workmates for their shortcomings at work (Tobutt, 2011).
Strategies for Preventing or Responding to the Behavioral Issue to Minimize Impacts in the Workplace
There are several reasons that make workers in the organization to drink. Some of the employees could be having a long history of drinking and drug abuse while others may begin these practices after joining the organization. The two groups of drug abusers may not have the same treatment of the problem. Having in mind the problems that are associated with alcoholism and drug abuse in the organization, there is needed to seek for assistance to prevent workplace drug abuse (Tobutt, 2011). There are several strategies of dealing with the problem in the organization, some of these strategies include; Human resource conservation programs. Most organization has different programs of ensuring that their employees are safe from drug abuse. The human resource conservation programs are aimed at ensuring that employees maintain their career and productivity. They include health promotion, education among other that always focus on the early identification of drug abuse and at the same time helping those who are already infected by the problem of drug abuse (Ghodse, 2005). Some activities that are provided by the organization may help in the prevention of such problem, they include; full-time employment that enables an employee to spend most of his or her time in the organization minimizing the risk of exposure to the drugs.
The other strategy to help the employees stop drug abuse is through employee assistance programs. These are most commonly used interventions in organization to stop drug abuse; they are very unique in a way that they become distinctive from other programs that are used in organization to curb drug abuse problems (Tobutt, 2011). In most cases, people who are employed in organization are mature people who are not supposed to be directed especially when it comes to drinking; but since the organization has to also mind about its production and services it offers to the customers, this intervention becomes important in that, it prevents the loss of employees and enable the employees continue with their careers leading to productivity without interruption (Roman, 2003).
There are other strategies besides the employee assistance program that can also help the employees from such problems. Alcohol education programs have also assisted employees to seek for the EAPs that deal with the problem. A deep understanding of what alcohol and other drug abuse can cost the employees have helped most employees to deal with such problems. A health promotion program is alternative strategy of eliminating alcohol and drug abuse from the organization. Out of the health promotions, employees come to realize the dangers alcoholism and other drug abuse bring them in their bodies, by understanding this, employees are advised to reduce the intake due to their present health conditions that finally helps employees to do away with the drinking and abusing other drugs (Ghodse, 2005). Peer intervention also does well in the prevention and stopping the abuse. However, that would be used to stop the early signs of drinking or drug abuse.
In closing, it is clear from the elucidations given herein that alcoholism and drug abuse at the workplace has become prevalent over the years. In addition, the various aspects that are attributed the issues are as well indicated. Together with the expounded strategies for preventing and reducing the alcoholism and drug related abuse at the workplace; the individuals ought to be handled with care since they are able to bring about more harm than good (Roman, 2003). Hence, One ought to be firm, brief, and calm while handling such individuals, the instructions given to them must be repeated several times to ensure that they comprehend on what they are supposed to do, and more so, avoiding arguing or debating with them would be a better approach while handling them (Tobutt, 2011).
Reference
Ghodse, H. (2005). Addiction at work: Tackling drug use and misuse in the workplace. Burlington, VT, USA: Gower.
National Drug Intelligence Center (2010). National Threat Assessment: The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice.
Roman, P. M. (2003). Alcohol problem intervention in the workplace: Employee assistance programs and strategic alternatives. New York: Quorum Books.
Tobutt, C. (2011). Alcohol at work: Managing alcohol problems and issues in the workplace. Farnham, Surrey, England: Gower.
TUC (2010). Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace: Guidance for Workplace Representatives.Health and Safety. Retrieved on 25th May 2014; from https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/drugsalcoholinworkplace.pdf
