Guident Newsletter – March 2017 – Issue 10

How do you build loyalty in your organization?  One morning Jake came into my office.  He sat down and with a serious look on his face said, “Gary you’re going to have to fire me.”  Of course, “I asked why?”  We had just purchased the company and when you do that you get, “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of the old company.  Jake was definitely part of the good.  He was a certified welder, trained in the military, and a genuinely nice guy. He said that he would not be able to pass the drug test.  We did pre-employment drug testing but did not do it for employees who came into our company through acquisition.  We did do random drug testing and Jake was certain when his number came up he would not pass.  I asked him, “Do you want to leave the company?”  He emphatically said no, but what were his choices.   He knew that everyone was subject to the random drug testing, even the owners, so he was certain we would not make exceptions.  He was right. But in my mind, we did have some options if Jake was willing to comply with certain rules.  […]