Even though workplace drug testing has become a widely accepted business practice in the past two decades, it is still not used by every business out there and not every company owner believes that it is all that necessary. Even when presented with concrete data that employee drug and alcohol pre screening is safe and cost-effective, they turn aside and ignore these reports. Even when told that it will be easier and simpler than they believe, they may still not choose to concern themselves with this information. Why is this and what can be done about it?

The reason why so many business owners today still choose to not use employee drug and alcohol testing is that they simply do not consider it to be a big deal. They are used to my word is my bond types of tradition, and they feel uncomfortable setting down and enforcing drug testing guidelines primarily for two reasons: 1. they feel that they would be imposing upon their employees to do something which they feel to be unreasonable. 2. They feel that this practice is only done by laboratories and research facilities and that bringing drug and alcohol testing to their own business is just too new. They believe in tradition.

The truth is, employee drug testing has been a tradition for thirty years, beginning with widespread military drug testing and ending with small businesses using it to safeguard themselves from dishonest staff members and employees who may be tempted to commit fraudulent activities. This is a new tradition which is well established and has set a fine example of creating safer and more secure workplaces worldwide. It is unwise to bring preconceived ideas and out-of-date perceptions into the modern business world. Sometimes, drug and alcohol testing in the workplace is seen as something done by the younger generation. That may be, but we are not implementing it because it is new. We are using it because it works.