Entrepreneurs may think that drug and alcohol testing of their employees is more stressful than it is worth. You might think that you interviewed each employee, checked references, and that there is little opportunity for drug use. Hopefully, this is true, but many employers are surprised to find that an employee that they never suspect using drugs has positive test results once testing is begun at your business.

A Labor Report found that more than 17 million over the age of 18 used illicit drugs, and over 75% of these people were employed. With all of these workers admitting that they use drugs, are you willing to take the risk that one or more of them may be producing your goods or dealing with your clients? The answer to this is NO for almost every business person. Drug and alcohol testing can help employers in several ways.

Drug-free workplaces help ensure that your business, your employees, and your customers as safe as possible. Accidents with forklifts and other machinery happen more often when a worker is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In addition, the personal recommendation of word of mouth is the backbone of many small businesses.

One wrong incident with your drunk or high employee with a customer can hurt your business for months, or even result in a lawsuit against you. Testing can identify employees who have recently used drugs or alcohol and lessen the chance that this could happen to you. If you decide to implement random drug and alcohol testing, your employees will probably stay drug-free because they will have no idea when they will be tested.