We do our best to find the right person for the job in our organizations. We seemingly vet them through interviews, What If questions, skill testing, personality assessments, reference checks and thorough background tests. But how well do you really know your employees?

Interestingly enough, I find we don’t always know them very well. We get to know their work habits and we see the results of their work product. Yet, we fall short of actually knowing them as a person, and in many instances therein lies a problem or two. How many times has someone made a mistake you would not have expected that person to make? After all, they have been through an orientation and training protocol; they may even have worked in this industry for as long as ten years or more. They may be a long-term employee at your property right now.

When you least expect it, Murphy’s Law kicks in every time.

Years ago I hired the son of one of our most reliable Maintenance Techs to be a Tech on a Section 8 property. At first things were fine. The Maintenance Supervisor worked with him and brought him up to speed on daily routines and completing turns. Damien did not have good plumbing skills and was not certified in HVAC but he was a gifted artist and excelled at the detail work involved in turning vacant apartments. After the first month I noticed that Damien was often late for work. His was cheerful as ever and his work was fine. Then I noticed he seemed forgetful. Because I did not know him well, I did not know if that was just his way or not. During the year though, I noticed he seemed to confuse details of what he had done, as though he didn’t know where he left off from the previous day, so I asked the Supervisor to start working with him again. I talked to Damien, too, but he assured me that he was a little sleep deprived due to becoming a parent.

But then something happened and I could not ignore the problem any more and I could not just chalk it up to a lack of sleep. One day he was assigned to installing stair treads on concrete steps in the interior of a building. He had already been working with the Supervisor on this project and was well trained on each aspect of the installation. The project involved sanding the concrete step (applying an etching material to the surface of the step) followed by applying a thin coat of “glue”. The glue needed to “set” for about an hour before the tread can actually be placed.

Damien did all the prep work and applied the glue on the steps, five in each run. Then, for whatever reason, he stopped work and went to lunch without placing ANY danger warning signage at all at the building entrance, or at the top and bottom of the stairwell. He had not even left the building door opened for ventilation purposes. Let’s just say, it was not a good outcome when someone tried to use the stairs a couple of hours later.

Many employees are habitual substance abusers. Their substance of choice can be legal or illegal, but the signs and symptoms are often recognizable with the outcomes generally the same. Common signs of employee substance abuse include frequent tardiness to work or coming back from breaks; skipping work or leaving work early; being excessively tired at work or even falling asleep on the job (or in a vacant); deterioration of personal appearance; being unpredictable in mood and attitude (I can’t believe he reacted like that! What’s your problem?) Some employees will completely avoid their coworkers for no explainable reason. Some employees will become frequently sick with colds and respiratory illnesses (for marijuana smokers.)

Of an estimated 14.8 million people who use illegal drugs, 75% of these are employed full time. It is imperative that this issue be addressed in your company. Serious repercussions can and do occur every day on the job when employees misjudge how sober they are. Most work places advertise they are a drug-free workplace. However, the issue isn’t whether your work place is advertised as being drug free, the issue is whether your employees are drug free and what will you do if they are not.

There are probably two ways to address the issue of employee substance abuse. One is having mandatory drug testing policies in place that test each job applicant and then specify when an employee may be randomly tested. Most companies offer health insurance and EAP (Employee Assistance Program). These programs may help assess an employee’s addiction and addictive behavior issues. Offering substance abuse counseling and treatment options are also another way. There is some debate as to classifying substance abuse, including alcohol abuse, as a disability.

I think many Managers would be shocked to know that someone on his/her team is either a functional alcoholic or a drug abuser. The drug of choice does not have to be illegal; oftentimes, prescription abuses can be a culprit. Although, in my experience, onsite drug abuse has been affiliated with the Maintenance department, I have known Leasing Professionals who were addicted to their children’s medication for ADHD. I encourage your teams to make note of the signs and symptoms of substance abuse and familiarize yourself with your company policies regarding such. While we want to be respectful of anything we are told in confidence, it is imperative we are also aware that anything an employee does while on the clock is a reflection of Ownership. Sometimes, the best thing that can happen to an employee is the result of a random drug test. Knowledge is power and a great incentive to get help.