He frequently calls in sick, and when he's at the office his performance and behaviour are both erratic. Carl doesn't need a reprimand. He needs a drug treatment program. Like one in ten Canadian workers, Carl has a substance abuse problem. Drug or alcohol abuse may be considered a personal problem but it costs employers, and society, dearly.
Substance abusers have four times the absentee rate of non-abusers.
Today, employers of all sizes are protecting the interests of both their businesses and staff by adopting programs that effectively combat substance abuse in the workplace. Such outside resources can help businesses determine their information and training needs, and assist them in designing the right approach for the work setting and the employees. Any substance abuse plan should include a clearly defined company policy. This policy typically notes the organization's intolerance of substance abuse, and its practices of dealing with employees who are acknowledged or suspected abusers. But drug and alcohol abusers tend to exhibit classic behavioural problems.