Sadly, the world has seen better days regarding substance abuse among employees in companies, businesses, organizations, and businesses. This means that today, you will find people abusing drugs and alcohol in their respective workplaces without even minding their general health. It is advisable to get more info on how your health is affected by drugs and alcohol. However, besides the adverse effects on your well-being, drug abuse in the workplace has other conspicuous repercussions, as explained below.
The Consequences
Low Productivity
Undoubtedly, the first thing you will realize from staff who abuse drugs during working hours is reduced output. That is because the substances take over their bodies and bring other effects, including dizziness, nausea, hallucinations, and poor judgment. When such an individual finally reduces their consumption or quits substance abuse, it will take time to rekindle their original productivity.
This is mainly caused by the various withdrawal symptoms associated with different substances. Low productivity from employees directly translates into financial losses for the company or business they work in.
Theft
An addict will do all they can to ensure they get money to purchase these substances. Besides that, they care less about the company’s assets as long as they have that puff of bhang or sip of alcohol that they so much want. In such scenarios, you will notice that workers who abuse drugs in and out of the workplace will adapt to weird behaviors, such as stealing from their employer. This may come in different ways, including stealing monetary assets and other items from the office.
Contributes to an Increase in the Company’s Expenditures
Employees are under their employer regardless of what happens, and their boss should meet all their needs accordingly. Abusing drugs contributes to an increase in the operation costs in that the company must handle all the expenses related to their staff. Drugs and alcohol consumption have adverse effects on the consumer’s health, meaning that the company will have to cater for any health care expenses that arise after that.
Additionally, although the employees perform poorly, they must be reimbursed until the boss decides to fire them. Finally, there might be legal liabilities that the company may have to carry on behalf of its workers or workers who abuse drugs. All these factors make the business spend more than it does on its operations, which results in significant revenue losses and increased costs.
Increased At-Work Fights and Harassment
The environment in a company where some employees indulge in drug abuse on duty is hostile to the other workers and clients. Substance abuse and alcoholism have been closely associated with sexual harassment, both in the workplace and outside. The intoxication that drug users get when they consume alcohol or other substances contributes significantly to how they treat other people around them. This is why employers should have standard and stringent policies that elaborate more about drugs and substance use within and without the company’s premise.
Elevated Injuries, Accidents, and Fatalities
There is a strong reason why alcohol manufacturers advise against driving or operating machinery under the influence. The reason is, when you are not sober, your judgment is impaired, meaning your cognitive skills are not active. Besides those who operate machines, injuries at the workplace can result from falling down the stairs or sliding on wet floors.
One of the outstanding and essential objectives of a business is profit maximization. Nonetheless, that can be challenging to achieve, especially if the employees do not play their part well. Drug abuse and alcoholism can substantially affect employees’ performance, leading to significant losses for businesses. If you abuse substances while at work or home, you need to consider quitting for your good, too, especially health-wise.