MEPMIS

Drug and alcohol misuse a significant cause of lost productivity (17 September 2007)

 Research carried out by CIPD and People Management magazine suggests that four out of ten employers believe alcohol misuse is a significant cause of employee absence and lost productivity and one third of organisations report that drug misuse has a similarly negative effect in the workplace. Only 33% of employers train managers in how to manage drug and alcohol misuse at work and just 22% train employees generally in organisational procedures in tackling these issues.

The investigation revealed that 42 per cent of the 500 organisations surveyed have no policy in place to help them manage drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace. Findings also indicate that employers could provide more support for employees with substance dependency problems; only 38 per cent of employers reported providing co-ordinated rehabilitation support to help individuals with drug or alcohol problems return to work after treatment. Additionally, only a half of employers provide access to counselling or to occupational health services.