Substance Abuse … the Corporate Raider
Employee substance abuse can create safety hazards for employers,
co-workers and the public. There are also the costs of lost business
opportunities arising from missed deadlines, diminished product quality,
and damaged business reputation. Look at these sobering statistics.
- Employee absenteeism – Problem drinkers are
absent from work four to eight times more often than normal. Drug
users are absent from work an average of five days per month due
to substance abuse.
- Less productivity – When they do show up, substance
abusers are 33% less productive and cost their employers
$7,000 annually.
- Industrial fatalities – 47% of
industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol abuse.
- Workplace accidents – Drug using employees are
four times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents and
five times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.
- Higher workers’ compensation costs – 38% to 50% of all workers’ compensation claims are related to substance
abuse.
- Higher medical costs – Substance abusers are
three times more likely to use medical benefits than other employees.
- Workplace theft – 80% of drug users
steal from their workplaces to support their habits.
- Workplace violence – Substance abuse is the
third leading cause of workplace violence.