Attitudes of Personnel Managers toward Substance Abuse Policies

Abstract

Substance abuse has been identified as one of the major problems in business and industry. While companies have been attempting to address the problem through policies and programs, little has been done empirically to examine the issue.

This study investigated the perceptions of personnel managers toward substance abuse policies in the Fortune 500. Results indicate a high level of satisfaction with present policies, but suggest that the communication about them throughout the company is inadequate.

Recommendations for modifications follow: avoid overreacting, implement the program slowly and involve legal counsel at an early stage. Furthermore, they suggest involving employees and top management from policy development to implementation. Finally, they recommend that treatment be emphasized over punishment.

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