By Natasha Jager, National Manager Workplace Services, Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Alcohol and drug misuse accounts for 11.5 million ‘sick’ days every year in Australia. The ‘presenteeism’ effect, where you are experiencing the effects of a hangover or coming down from a drug (feeling fatigued or not thinking clearly), is costing businesses a lot more. Natasha Jager, National Manager of Workplace Services at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) discusses this important issue and what it means for your workplace.

Why should the workplace care about a worker’s alcohol and drug use?

Alcohol and other drug misuse is a growing concern across Australia and can affect all workplaces across all industries.

Alcohol and other drug misuse can have a direct impact on all of these priority areas. Alcohol is the drug of choice for most Australians, and misuse costs Australian workplaces $6 billion annually. Illegal drug use costs businesses $1.6 billion every year.

The construction industry is deemed ‘high risk’ when it comes to alcohol and other drug misuse, due to the nature of the work involved and the ‘work hard, play hard’ culture. It is important that an employee’s consumption of alcohol after work or on weekends not have a flow-on effect in the workplace, as it can not only affect productivity but workplace morale. Frustration can lead to anger when an employee is continually picking up the slack of those coming to work unfit for duty.

We also know there is a strong correlation between alcohol and other drug use and mental health issues. The prevalence of mental health illness is high across Australia, with almost 50 per cent of us experiencing a mental health illness in our lifetime. Those who misuse alcohol and/or drugs are increasing their risk of developing a mental health condition or exacerbating their existing condition. This can directly affect work performance. Employers are encouraged to discuss drug and alcohol and mental health with their workers to help their employees to understand the risks.

Prescription drug use: who is most at risk?

It’s not only illegal drugs that can affect a person’s performance in the workplace; prescription drugs also play a big part.

Generally, middle-aged and older workers are most susceptible to accidental and deliberate prescription drug misuse, as they begin to take more drugs for medical conditions associated with ageing. They look for a quick fix for things like everyday pain or stress so they can get on with their busy lives. The dangers of pharmaceuticals are often over looked because they are legal and usually prescribed by health professionals. The effects of pharmaceutical drugs in the workplace can include fatigue, confusion and difficulty concentrating.

What should you do if you suspect an employee is misusing drugs?

The ADF advises everyone to “see the person and not the drug” and look for changes in behaviour, such as mood swings or patterns of lateness. Managers are encouraged to discuss these observations with their employees, rather than focus on what drug they may or may not be taking and then determine if additional support is required.

It’s also important to create an environment in which employees feel comfortable reporting prescription drug use that may affect their performance and decision-making. Employees are not obliged to specify the particular prescription drug they are taking and privacy must be preserved, but they should inform their employer if there are any safety risks attached to the drug (e.g. fatigue, driving risks). For people who are taking prescription medication, I recommend providing your employer with a letter from your GP, outlining that a drug test may return a positive test or performance may be affected while you are taking medication.

What can workplaces do to reduce their risk?

If your organisation relies on drug testing to keep your workplace safe, it should be just one of a suite of measures to address workplace safety. Not all businesses are required to conduct drug testing but what is important is that all companies have a comprehensive drug and alcohol policy, which reserves them the right to conduct random testing and outlines how they will respond to an incident should it arise.

It’s important to know that drug testing doesn’t always detect every substance, nor does it assess someone’s fitness for work. For example, a test might come back negative, but a person coming down from a drug might be feeling fatigued, confused or just not thinking clearly, affecting their performance.

Educating workplaces about alcohol and other drugs is paramount, including dispelling myths such as:

• “9 before 9 and I’ll be fine” It takes about 90 minutes for your liver to process a stubbie of beer.
• “Coffee, greasy food, and water” These things may make you feel better, but you have to give your liver time to process the alcohol.
• “Weekend partying is ok” Some drugs can stay in your system for days, so a party pill on Saturday night can still be in your system on Monday morning and can ultimately affect your work.

For more information on any of these subjects, go to www.adf.org.au