Chapter 10
Evaluation

Summary

Program evaluation is an important part of any drug-free workplace program. Periodic evaluation lets you know if you are saving money and improving your bottom line. It also helps to ensure that you are meeting your goals of a drug and alcohol-free workplace.

Details

You can evaluate your program in several ways. Some employers hire a consultant, while others elect to conduct their own evaluations. For organizations with limited resources, self-evaluation is the most likely option. Use the following guidelines to conduct a basic evaluation of your program:

Step One

• Establish a baseline; in other words, assess your organization as it is today. Specifically, check your company records for the past two years and compute the incidence and prevalence of some or all of the following indicators of drug and/or alcohol abuse:

• absenteeism;
• tardiness;
• use of health care benefits;
• Workers’ Compensation claims;
• theft;
• accidents;
• turnover.

• Estimate the costs of these factors in dollars if possible. If records are not available for years past, start tracking the trends now. Also talk to employees at all levels of the organization to assess the current overall morale of the staff. This will give you baseline data for determining the impact of your program during the coming years.

Step Two

If you have not already begun your drug- and alcohol-free workplace program, do it now.

• Review the records at the end of the first year (and in subsequent years) for the factors listed above. Also reassess employee morale. Compare the results to your baseline data. Have there been any changes?

Step Three

• Revisit your original goals to determine the success of your program.

• Ask employees and supervisors for their feedback on the impact of the policy and/or program. Cost savings may take some time to accrue, but improved employee morale may be evident right away.

Step Four

• Establish a plan for assessing the cost/benefits of continuing your drug- and alcohol-free workplace program.

Step Five

• Use the results to modify your program. Establish a regular review period, perhaps annually, and use that time to assess the progress of the program.

• Determine the steps needed in the next year to reach your program goals.

• Consider speaking with employees at all levels of the workforce to assist in both the ongoing evaluation and the implementation of program changes.

It is important when evaluating your program that you consider any changes in laws, established procedures, and accepted practices in this area and that you make needed changes.