Drug Testing and the Unemployment Rate

I am blessed to spend a lot of my time with business leaders around the world.

Whether it is in an Executive MBA program, a corporate training session, or an interview for a new book, I have the distinct pleasure of learning from some very sharp people.

Over the years, despite The Great Recession, an ever-larger number of folks tell me that they face a tremendous challenge in hiring good employees.

The reasons are many, and vary widely across industries.

Yet, an underlying theme keeps coming back time and time again: the inability of many strong candidates to pass a drug test. Or, be willing to submit to one.

When we're talking over coffee in the office, this is rarely discussed.

However, it is often a regular topic of conversation off-site, when the beer or wine starts to flow.

It seems the desire on the part of employers to be sure their current and prospective employees aren't using narcotics is becoming a bigger barrier to hiring new workers.

Am I wrong here? What do you think?