Employers in manufacturing, distribution, trucking, or similar industries must do more than find job applicants with the experience or skill set to perform necessary jobs. To keep a stellar safety record and reduce turnover, it’s also essential to hire responsible, reliable employees who are in good enough physical condition to handle the job requirements.
This can be accomplished with pre-employment physicals and drug testing, and it doesn’t only apply to permanent hires. Here are some of the benefits that can be realized through drug testing and pre-employment physicals for temp workers hired through a staffing agency.
4 Benefits of Drug Testing and Pre-Employment Physicals for Temp Workers
1. Helps Ensure the Job Applicant is Capable of Performing the Job
Drug testing and pre-employment physicals for temp workers can help rule out any current injuries or issues that may prevent the applicant from handling the duties required to perform their job in a safe and effective manner. This creates a safer work environment for the employee, as well as their co-workers.
2. Reduces Turnover
Finding the right employees from the beginning does more than help the company run safely; it also helps reduce turnover. In addition to assisting employers find temporary workers who will be physically able to perform the required tasks, pre-employment physicals for temp workers give job candidates a better idea of what will be required of them. This can assist a potential employee in determining if a job isn’t the right fit before they are hired rather than making this discovery after they start.
3. Cuts Lost Work Time
According to an article in Safety and Health magazine, temporary workers file two times more lost-workday claims than permanent workers. This is frequently due to a higher risk of injury due to factors such as a lack of safety training — an issue that can be especially problematic during peak seasons when large numbers of temporary employees are needed.
Drug testing and pre-employment physicals for temp workers can help ensure that there aren’t any underlying issues that may increase the likelihood of injuries, illness, and time lost from work. They can also reduce the number of workers’ compensation claims.
4. Increases Productivity
It’s important for employees to be present at work and be safe, but it’s also important for them to be productive. Healthier employees tend to have higher productivity and performance. This is especially the case when considering health issues that could potentially keep a hire from performing their job effectively. Another bonus to good health and increased productivity? It’s a boost to overall employee morale.
What Does This Mean for Your Company?
While drug testing and pre-employment physicals for temp workers can save your company time as well as money, it’s essential to make sure that any testing conducted falls within the American Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
For example, the ADA stipulates that an employer can’t ask a job applicant to take a medical exam before a job offer has been made. Before making a job offer, an employer can only ask questions about the applicant’s ability to perform specific job functions. All medical exams (and any resulting actions, such as rescinding a job offer) must be directly related to job functions and the person’s ability to carry out that job in a safe fashion with reasonable accommodations for any disability they may have.
Testing for illegal substances is not considered a medical examination, but there are still rules that apply to keep your company within the letter of the law. Applicants must be informed ahead of time that drug testing is part of the screening process for new employees. They may be drug tested after they’ve been offered a job (with the offer contingent on passing the drug test). Drug testing must be done by a state-certified laboratory, and all applicants for the job must undergo similar testing.
While drug testing and pre-employment physicals for temp workers require an initial investment, the long-term savings make it well worth the effort.
As a 20-year veteran of the Chicagoland staffing market, ClearStaff knows what it takes to deliver direct, temp or temp-to-hire employees to employers. We welcome the opportunity to have a conversation about how we differ from other agencies in the marketplace. Please contact us if you’d like additional information about our services.
