Drug and Alcohol Testing, Policy and Support
Creating a safe, inclusive and compliant workplace
Combatting Drugs & Alcohol in the Workplace Policy Workshop: Prevention, Support, Compliance
Date: Wednesday, 4th December '24
Time: 09:30 - 13:00
Cost per attendee: £275 + VAT per attendee
Remote working has magnified the challenges of implementing policy thoroughly and fairly. Colleagues managing workplace drug and alcohol challenges can struggle to ensure the policy is compliant, updated and communicated.
With a concerning 17 million working days and £6 billion lost to UK organisations annually through substance misuse, there’s a serious workplace risk of fractured relationships, poor decision-making, and injury or death. Not to mention the strain on an already overstretched NHS.
The course runs online to minimise disruption to a busy schedule and to provide a confidential forum to share experiences and challenges.
Platform: Zoom - An encrypted zoom platform with password access:
Click here for further information and to test access.
Which functions will benefit from attending
- Human Resources, Health and Safety, Occupational Health and Safety, Employee Relations, Recruitment, Policy, Operations, Compliance, legal, and all line managers and directors with responsibility for their organisations policy and procedures in these areas.
Hear from
Schedule
Introduction and overview of the day
Elizabeth Smith
Director of Research , Business Forums International Ltd. (BFI)
Elizabeth is director of research and a founding co-director at Business Forums International. She is responsible for all programme content and writing, and researches current areas of interest for senior HR professionals in large organisations. BFI is the UK’s leading HR risk specialist conference and training provider, delivering key and timely information to over 3,000 delegates a year both through public and in-house training courses. Before founding BFI in 1996, Elizabeth specialised in researching corporate financial programmes in Asia and the Middle East, based in Dubai. She also worked in advertising and publishing in the Middle East and London. Elizabeth was educated in the West Indies, Saudi Arabia and Belgium before reading Modern Languages at Durham University. She is currently developing an online training course for line managers to raise awareness of menopause symptoms and ways that employers can work to make their workplaces more inclusive.
A welcoming session which will run under the Chatham House Rule to ensure confidentiality.
Delegates are encouraged to share concerns and challenges they are facing in their own organisations, There will be time in the programme to table specific issues and questions to ensure maximum value and learning.
Interactive session
Elizabeth Smith
Director of Research , Business Forums International Ltd. (BFI)
Elizabeth is director of research and a founding co-director at Business Forums International. She is responsible for all programme content and writing, and researches current areas of interest for senior HR professionals in large organisations. BFI is the UK’s leading HR risk specialist conference and training provider, delivering key and timely information to over 3,000 delegates a year both through public and in-house training courses. Before founding BFI in 1996, Elizabeth specialised in researching corporate financial programmes in Asia and the Middle East, based in Dubai. She also worked in advertising and publishing in the Middle East and London. Elizabeth was educated in the West Indies, Saudi Arabia and Belgium before reading Modern Languages at Durham University. She is currently developing an online training course for line managers to raise awareness of menopause symptoms and ways that employers can work to make their workplaces more inclusive.
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of
International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of , International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt is the current President of IFDAT (International Forum for Drug & Alcohol Testing). He is an active member of EWDTS (European Workplace Drug Testing Society). Matt is also Managing Director of Innovative Testing Solutions (ITS).
This session will present a series of scenarios depicting drug and alcohol workplace issues. Designed to open discussion and debate, the varying situations presented will explore current and future issues, examining both legal and workplace principles.
Updates on current drug and alcohol trends and consumption: effect on employers
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of
International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of , International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt is the current President of IFDAT (International Forum for Drug & Alcohol Testing). He is an active member of EWDTS (European Workplace Drug Testing Society). Matt is also Managing Director of Innovative Testing Solutions (ITS).
- Scope of the challenge: statistics and social impact
- New generational drinking and drug practice and attitudes: what do employers need to know?
- Alcohol, Prescription drugs, Over The Counter drugs, Illegal drugs, Novel Psychoactive Substances: what might your workplace be vulnerable to?
- What’s the risk to your workplace: “Under the Influence” and “Impairment” and what are the potential consequences
- An overview of the most vulnerable industries and some effective strategies to counter the challenges
Legal and compliance update: new government directives and initiatives
Deborah Scales
Employment Law Partner , MLP Law
Deborah is an experienced Employment and Discrimination lawyer. Areas of expertise include discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing, restraints of trade, TUPE, collective redundancies, employment status and IR35 issues, managing employee conflict, grievances and disciplinary investigations, and negotiating severance packages. With the explosion in remote working, Deborah has been advising businesses on the risks and opportunities of employing workers living in overseas jurisdictions.
- Employer duty of care: an update
- Conduct outside work: boundaries, reach and procedures to maximise mutual protection
- Cross-jurisdictional challenges for global organisations
Comfort break
Policy content. Writing, communication and implementation: essential strategy to ensure success
Deborah Scales
Employment Law Partner , MLP Law
Deborah is an experienced Employment and Discrimination lawyer. Areas of expertise include discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing, restraints of trade, TUPE, collective redundancies, employment status and IR35 issues, managing employee conflict, grievances and disciplinary investigations, and negotiating severance packages. With the explosion in remote working, Deborah has been advising businesses on the risks and opportunities of employing workers living in overseas jurisdictions.
- Key elements: purpose, writing and implementation
- Working with your Unions to ensure fairness and support
- Communication strategy: key elements to ensure the right message is clearly sent
Testing developments and procedures
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of
International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt Taylor
Director at Innovative Testing Solutions & President of , International Forum for Drugs & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT)
Matt is the current President of IFDAT (International Forum for Drug & Alcohol Testing). He is an active member of EWDTS (European Workplace Drug Testing Society). Matt is also Managing Director of Innovative Testing Solutions (ITS).
- Five essential questions to help you decide if and how you should be testing your workforce
- Legal framework update: ensuring your testing policy and procedures are compliant
- Findings and analysis: a complete guide to procedure
- What testing is right for your organisation?
- Procedures: when to discipline and when to support
Comfort break
Employee support
- Personality types and job profiles: who’s at risk?
- What should HR and OH be looking out for and what’s the optimum response to those signs?
- Trauma, depression, anxiety, mood disorders: the 2024 workplace and some coping strategies
- Buddy systems, interventions, referrals, family support: what works best for whom?
Case study: quantifying the success of a D&A policy
Olivia Campbell
Occupational Health Specialist , HCA Healthcare UK
Olivia has been qualified in occupational health nursing for over 30 years, and has worked in a variety of roles, including in-house, client, and service provider; and has overseen outsourcing and first generation implementation of contracted occupational health services.
- Elements of a workable policy: why, who, what and when
- Cultural challenges
- Setting targets and quantifying what success looks like
Wrap up and final Q&A
End of training
Managing Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace - A 2024 Update
Prevention, support and compliance
