Drugs, alcohol and workforce wellbeing

According to new research, as many as one in 30 UK employees have drugs in their system at any point in time within the workplace. Yet, overall, when it comes to occupational health, the issue of drugs and alcohol seems to have disappeared off the news and corporate agenda.  Is drug testing not a part of workforce wellbeing anymore?

Drug and alcohols screening

The study by drug and alcohol screening firm Concateno in July 2012 argued it had seen a 43% increase in the number of employees testing positive for drugs in the past five years. Drug use was identified in 3.23% of the employees tested in 2011, against 2.26% in 2007.

The TUC made headlines by calling for a clarification of the law around drug testing at work arguing that such tests were of ‘dubious legality’ and communicated drug and alcohol policies were a much better way of tackling problems in the workplace.

Workforce health priorities

Yet it is intriguing how much workplace drug and alcohol issues appear to have fallen off the news, occupational health and employee wellbeing agenda – and one reason why, the Concateno research caught the eye. The research highlighted that there is still a need and demand for workplace testing. Drug testing has always been important, especially for firms employing people in safety critical positions.

But how many employers are pushing the issue as a concern? Is it because there are bigger workplace, healthcare and economic issues – such as just surviving in the current climate – jostling for precedence?

We’d love to know your views.