Hotel Owner October 2017 | Page 41

ADVICE policies, encouraging staff to declare any their staff, acting as a deterrent, and MORE INFORMATION: AlcoDigital medical or dependency issues that could encouraging them to be more aware of operates Alcohol and Drugs Testing potentially affect a drug test. Ensuring what they are consuming and how this in the Workplace training courses for your workforce fully understand the could have an impact on their lives, and companies across the UK. To find out rationale behind the decision, and what those around them. In turn, it will create a more, or review a list of available dates the potential consequences of a positive safer, healthier and more stable working and locations, please visit test result will be are pivotal to operating a environment and safeguard your business www.alcodigital.co.uk. best practice policy. from the potential fallout of lost revenue But how often should you test? As a and reputational damage. minimum, companies should aim to test 100% of their workforce every 12 months. BES T PRACTICE POLICY AND TRAINING About the Author A pre-employment test will set in place Alongside setting a drug testing policy Suzannah Robin is a drug and the expectations for new staff joining the for your business is the question of alcohol safety expert at AlcoDigital. company, establishing from day one the exactly how it will be put into practice on She works with dozens of corporate company policy on drugs in the workplace. a day-to-day basis. Whilst knowledge and and governmental organisations The policies and testing methods used information is essential to determining addressing their alcohol and drugs subsequently would then depend on appropriate testing methods, properly testing needs. For the last 14 years your day-to-day business activities and training personnel to carry out tests she has helped numerous businesses employees’ duties. For example, a company is absolutely essential for making sure implement alcohol and drug testing that employs commercial drivers should that they are fully prepared and capable policies for their staff through always have a regular testing policy in of working within the recommended certified training programmes. Here place for both drugs and alcohol. guidelines. This is particularly important in she explains what an employer’s the event that a member of staff provides a obligations are when it comes to drugs WHY RANDOM TESTING? positive result and this information is going in the workplace and describes the Random testing will enable an employer to be relied upon for a future disciplinary or best methods for testing staff. to form a basic consent agreement with tribunal hearing. October 2017 www.hotelowner.co.uk 41