2005 Workplace Survey

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2005 Workplace Survey

 

Employer Survey Shows Need for Companies to Target Employee Substance Abuse

 

In 2003, Drug Free Pennsylvania conducted a first-of-its kind survey to gauge Pennsylvania businesses’ awareness, policies, and practices regarding employee substance use and abuse. Drug Free Pennsylvania conducted a second survey of employers in 2005. The survey found that despite the fact that substance abuse continues to be a major drain on corporate resources, the proportion of employers concerned about drug and alcohol abuse at their own organizations has changed little since DrugFree Pennsylvania’s 2003 survey of Pennsylvania employers. Among the key findings were:

  • Drug and alcohol abuse are widely cited as a major concern for Pennsylvania businesses. Nearly two in three (64%) managers and owners say they are “very concerned” about drug and alcohol abuse among workers, which is second only to worker safety (82%) as a top concern.
  • More than three in four employers believe that drug and alcohol abuse are a “serious” problem for most Pennsylvania companies; however, far fewer believe drug and alcohol abuse are “serious” problems among their own employees.
  • The abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol does appear to have direct consequences for some Pennsylvania businesses. Employers most often say that increased absenteeism (21%) and reduced productivity (18%) from alcohol abuse, and increased health care costs (17%) and absenteeism (16%) related to drug abuse are problems for their companies.
  • A majority (58%) of non-governmental employers have written drug-free workplace policies in place, although the likelihood of having a written drug-free policy increases as the number of employees in the organization increases.

Please click on the links below to download the Executive Summary and the Workplace Survey.

Drug Free PA Employer Survey – Executive Summary

Drug Free PA Employer Survey – Full Report

Drug Free Pennsylvania Conducts First of its Kind Survey of Employee Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Substance Abuse in the Workplace

 

In the summer of 2005, Drug Free Pennsylvania undertook the first survey of employee attitudes and beliefs about substance abuse in the workplace. A random telephone survey of 502 adult Pennsylvanians who work full or part time was conducted. Among the key findings were:

  • Nearly three in four (74%) full and part time workers in Pennsylvania report that the organization where they work has a written drug-free workplace policy.
  • Nearly half (48%) of Pennsylvanians who work for organizations with a written drug-free policy believe their organizations’ policies have had a great effect in keeping people from using drugs. A sizable plurality of these workers also believes worker safety has increased and employee drug use and absenteeism have decreased as a result of their organizations’ drug-free workplace policies.
  • Nearly half (46%) of Pennsylvania employees report that their organizations test for drugs and about one in three (29%) report alcohol testing takes place. The more employees an organization has the more likely it is to conduct drug and alcohol testing.
  • Most (61%) believe that their company’s testing program has identified people with serious problems. Most also believe that testing in the workplace has a significant effect on the detection and deterrence of drug and alcohol use.
  • Nearly nine in ten (86%) employees are satisfied with the way their employer deals with alcohol and drug use. Importantly, respondents who are employed by an organization with a drug and alcohol policy are more likely than those employed at organizations without such policies to report being satisfied with them.

Please click on the links below to download the Executive Summary and the Workplace Survey.

Drug Free PA Employee Survey – Executive Summary

Drug Free PA Employee Survey – Full Report