Few workers expect employers to allow use of cannabis before, during work

Only six per cent of employed Canadians believe their organizations will allow the use of cannabis (marijuana) for recreational purposes during work hours or before coming into work, according to a survey from Ipsos, commissioned by ADP Canada.

However, managers (10 per cent) are much more likely to say it will be allowed than employees without managerial responsibilities (two per cent).

And nearly one in five managers (19 per cent) said they are at least somewhat likely to consume cannabis for recreational purposes before going to work, while 14 per cent said it’s at least somewhat likely they will consume cannabis during work hours — compared to non-managers, where only seven per cent said they will likely use cannabis before work, and four per cent said they will use it during work.

Another cause of the disconnect between managers and employees stems from their understanding of formal policies and guidelines surrounding the use of drugs and alcohol in the workplace, found ADP.

While 75 per cent of managers said they are aware of such policies in their places of employment, only 64 per cent of non-managers said the same — with a further 17 per cent saying they do not believe their workplace has specified policies or guidelines to regulate drug and alcohol usage.

And while 36 per cent of managers said their organizations are introducing or revising their workplace policies and guidelines because of the impending legalization of recreational cannabis, only 13 per cent of non-managers said this is happening in their workplace — with nearly half (49 per cent) saying they are unsure if their policies and guidelines are being updated or revised, found the survey of 1,000 working Canadians (500 of whom are managers, 500 of whom are not).

“Managers need to have detailed, informed and thorough conversations with employees about what constitutes acceptable behaviour in the workplace when it comes to cannabis” said Hendrik Steenkamp, director, HR advisory, at ADP Canada.

“Having these conversations early on will help to set clear expectations on both sides and reduce the chance for any negative impact on workplace performance and productivity.”

Other findings:

• Both managers and non-managers said they expect to see an increase in health and safety incidents (56 per cent managers, 53 per cent non-managers) and absenteeism (43 per cent managers, 37 per cent non-managers).
• Both managers and non-managers expect to see a decrease in productivity (45 per cent managers, 48 per cent non-managers) and quality of work (43 per cent managers, 44 per cent non-managers).