The problem of using drugs and alcohol among the workers of the companies is an essential issue in the USA. It is possible to assume that the reason for this situation can be found in the historical past of the country. Before the industrial revolution the use of psychoactive substances was not forbidden. What is more, some of the leaders of the organizations even replaced the financial compensation for the job by the bottles of alcohol (Els et al., 2018). However, in modern society, drug habits are not appreciated by society in general and business owners in particular. It affects in a negative way the efficiency and safety of the staff members (Els et al., 2018). Addiction to psychoactive substances is a severe problem not only in the work sphere but also in the community. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of drugs and alcohol on the behavior of the employees and the relationships between business owners and their subordinates.
The safety of the staff members is a significant issue in many companies in the USA, especially if they function in the industrial sphere or work with dangerous objects. Nevertheless, for several decades drinking alcohol was appreciated by the leaders of the factories and organizations as it helped to establish good relationships between the co-workers (Els et al., 2018). Nowadays, business owners still face the problem of the use of psychoactive substances among their workmen. Moreover, it is necessary to point out that on a psychological level, the person who does not drink often cannot become a part of the community in the office. The solution to this situation can be the introduction of regular tests in order to provide security to all participants of the project.
The leaders of the companies are interested in the well-being of their staff as they pay for their insurance and want them to perform in an efficient way in the office. That is why a special program has to be introduced that would help to reduce the level of use of drugs. It may contain several steps: the educational part where the explanation of the consequences would be provided. There should also be the medical element where the workers can have a quick check-up of their health. Finally, the entertaining part can be organized where specific events would be presented to the staff members in order to show how to communicate with the colleagues and have a pleasant time without alcohol.
Another critical issue that has to be covered in the framework of the examined topic is the impact of drugs on the effectiveness of the staff members. Kainika (2019) maintains that psychoactive substances have negative consequences for both the worker and the company. First of all, labor productivity becomes significantly lower, which is not beneficial for the final results. What is more, the number of accidents increases dramatically (Kainika, 2019). The employee’s behavior should also be taken into consideration as he or she may become aggressive, intolerant, or even dangerous for the others. The scientist puts forward the idea that it would be helpful to organize a meeting with all the members of the organizations (Kainika, 2019). From the point of view of the author, acknowledging the problem is the first and essential step that can introduce positive changes (Kainika, 2019). It is necessary to have an honest conversation about the problem and discuss the possible actions that can be done in order to ameliorate the situation and overcome the existing challenges.
Bad habits often become the cause of death as it leads to severe chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiac insufficiency, or anemia with complications. Some researchers propose the hypothesis that a ban on smoking, drinking alcohol, and using psychoactive substances may reduce the level of deaths among the workers (Lambrechts et al., 2017). However, a crucial issue in this situation would be the ethical question of this probation. Such an initiative may be perceived by the staff members as the limitation of their freedom. In this case, it is possible to start with the dialogue and the explanation of the motivation of the action. It is necessary to tell the employees that the main idea is to prevent their diseases and improve their quality of life. This innovation may be beneficial for both sides: the workers would show better results, and the business owners would have more income because of effectiveness improvement.
There are many diverse factors that affect the efficiency of the employees in the company. However, drugs and alcohol are still one of the most significant problems that business owners face in the 21st century. The historical aspects have a noticeable influence on modern circumstances as, for a long time, drinking alcohol was considered an ordinary thing. Nowadays, it is possible to introduce several solutions to overcome difficulties. For example, an educational program with an explanation of the harm of psychoactive substances can be organized. Understanding of the problem and its negative implications is the first stage of coping with this challenge.
References
Els, C., Jackson, T. D., Milen, M. T., Kunyk, D., & Straube, S. (2018). Random drug and alcohol testing for preventing injury in workers. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 12–21.
Kainika, O. T. N. (2019). The effects of drug and substance abuse on employees’ job performance on selected insurance companies in Nairobi, Kenya [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. United States International University.
Lambrechts, M. C., Vandersmissen, L., & Godderis, L. (2017). Alcohol and other drugs among workers: Prevalence and job related consequences. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 193(1), 58–59.