When you drug test your employees, you want to do so with the right drug testing supplies and appropriate protocols—everything above board. But if you run a smaller or medium-sized business, you may not have the resources on hand to set up an on-campus drug testing facility. Outsourcing is a convenient option with plenty of perks, but let’s look at the whole picture. Here are some of the pros and cons of outsourcing employment drug testing.
Pro: Employee Privacy
If you perform drug tests in the office, people notice. Handing an employee a urine test cup in front of their coworkers can put them on the spot and make them feel embarrassed. If you outsource your testing, that employee can make an appointment at a facility off campus and their colleagues don’t need to know.
Con: A Mystery to You
If you’re not present when the employee undergoes their drug test, you don’t have a personal confirmation that they were honest with it. Third-party labs are also rigorous in discouraging fraudulent results, and most of the time, they do collect honest results. You just have to take them at their word.
Pro: Quick and Affordable
In the time it would take you to set up an in-house drug testing facility, you could test dozens of applicants and employees through a third party. Outsourcing saves you money and frees up your time to work on other important projects.
Con: Chance of Miscommunication
The more hands those test results have to pass through, the higher the chance for mistakes and missteps. A third party requires a third layer of communication. While outsourcing is generally a quick process, checking and rechecking results for your own peace of mind can add time to that process.
Pro: Performed by Experts
Third-party drug testing labs are staffed with professionals in their field. People with medical backgrounds will be performing the tests, so there’s less of a chance that they’ll interpret the results incorrectly.
Con: Less Flexibility
When you perform an employment drug test yourself, you’ve got those drug testing supplies on hand and can ask the employee in question to give a sample right away. Outsourcing that test to a third-party lab takes a little extra time—an employee who’s using drugs has time to try and beat the test, and you have to wait longer for results.
As you decide whether to drug test your employees yourself or have a third party handle it, remember this handy list from American Screening. The pros and cons of outsourcing employment drug testing are worth weighing; the ultimate decision is up to you.