Gone are the days when alcohol was an essential part of the workplace; when Friday afternoon office drinks were an expected part of the working week, and no week ended without a sundowner. These days, the consequences of drugs and alcohol in the workplace are all too serious, and it’s simply not a risk worth taking.
The fact is: you have a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your employees in the workplace. Alcohol and other drug use, whether it occurs in or away from the workplace, may become an occupational health and safety issue if an employee’s ability to exercise judgment and coordination at work is impaired.
Employees unfit for work as a result of alcohol or other drug use put themselves and other people at the workplace at risk of harm. For this reason, it is important to have a drug and alcohol policy that clearly sets out the business’s expectations regarding drugs and alcohol in the workplace, as well as sets out the consequences of breaching the policy.
The aim of any drug and alcohol policy should be prevention, education, counselling and rehabilitation. The focus of the policy should be to eliminate or reduce the risks associated with the use of drug and alcohol in the workplace in a way that is consistent and fair to all employees.
This policy should be developed in a collaborative manner between management, employees and their representatives. When developing the policy, you should share the policy information, allow employees a reasonable opportunity to express their views about how the policy should operate, and take these views into account.
It’s also worth using your drug and alcohol policy to set out expectations around behaviour outside of the office, given that the workplace extends to client venues, events venues, bars, restaurants, cafes, parks, airplanes or any space in which employees are involved in work-related activities.
While you may feel like a party pooper imposing such restrictions, it’s absolutely necessary given the number of legal considerations. There is a huge potential for businesses to be held liable for the conduct of employees under the influence alcohol or drugs, and it’s simply not a risk worth taking.
If you’re in need of a policy or to better understand your obligations around drugs and alcohol in the workplace, contact your local HR Dept today.
