A drug-free workplace program should be monitored, measured for progress, and tracked for results. Even if you already have some or all of the program in place and have not been doing evaluations, you can still begin to evaluate.

Plan to review and evaluate your program on an ongoing basis. Do not be discouraged if you don’t see results right away. There is always room for change and improvement for both short-term and long-term goals.

Evaluation can help you improve your drug-free workplace program and understand how it has affected your workplace. Evaluation can tell you if what you are doing is working and whether it is cost-effective. An initiative can fail at any point in the cycle, so continuing the evaluation process will help you see where changes are needed.

Evaluation Cycle

Ideally, an evaluation protocol should be developed before the program is designed and implemented, based on the goals and objectives of the program.

The evaluation cycle follows these steps:

1. Reiterate the goals of the drug-free workplace policy and program. Learn more about how to develop a policy.
2. Design strategies for accomplishing the program objectives with the resources you have available, as identified when you assessed workplace needs.
3. Determine the key activities that will be a part of your program and what outcomes you hope to achieve as you plan and implement a program. Select assessment methods that can measure your organization’s progress toward achieving your objectives and goals. Evaluate the outcomes and the process that contribute to those outcomes.
4. Gather, analyze, and interpret assessment data.
5. Continually improve processes and outcomes, using the results of the assessment.

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