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Abstract #162713

Carolyn Lorente, PhD, Development Services Group, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800 East, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 951-0056, clorente@dsgonline.com

Having a drug-free workplace policy and program does not, by itself, guarantee that the workplace will be drug-free. Employees may not know about the policy; they may not fully understand it; they may not believe that it makes sense; they may find it difficult to comply with; they may be addicted to alcohol or other drugs; they may not believe that you will enforce the policy; they may believe that they can get around it; they may believe that a drug-free workplace policy is an unreasonable invasion of their private lives.

It is therefore important to inform, educate, train, and motivate everyone in the workplace, including the employer, the human resource director, other supervisors, and other employees; help everyone in the workplace understand that a drug-free workplace is more likely to be a safe, healthy, and productive workplace; inform everyone in the workplace about the specifics of the policy and the program; motivate the workplace as a whole to support the policy and program; and create a shared sense of responsibility for the success of a drug-free workplace policy and program.

This section of the Drug Free Workplace Kit addresses what employers can do to set the right tone and take the right approach; what human resource managers can do to get the word out; what supervisors can do to carry out the policy fairly and firmly; and what other employees can do to support a healthy, safe, and productive drug-free workplace.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the evidence-based approaches for preparing the workplace for an effective Drug-Free Workplace Program.
• Learn how the Workplace Kit can be a useful tool in helping to inform, educate, train, and motivate everyone in supporting a drug free workplace.
• Describe action tips to help employers effectively communicate the importance of a drug free program in promoting a safe, healthy and productive workplace.

Keywords: Workforce, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.