Are Your Candidates Fit-For-Duty?

Fit for duty testing is a test that an employee can take to determine if they are physically and mentally able to perform their job. Employers most often use this test, but it can also be performed by a healthcare professional or even an individual themselves. 

Employers can benefit from this type of testing because it helps them ensure the well-being of their employees and avoid workplace injuries.

What is Fit for Duty Testing?

A fit for duty test is used to determine whether or not an employee can perform their job functions safely and effectively. It involves a review of an individual’s ability to do their tasks, both physically and mentally.

The purpose of the test is to ensure that you are keeping your employees safe from harm. It can also prevent accidents, injuries, lawsuits and lost productivity by ensuring that your workforce is always healthy enough to work at its full capacity.

What benefit does the employer receive from offering Fit for Duty testing?

Employers offer Fit for Duty testing for the following reasons:

• To ensure that their employees are fit-for-duty. This includes protecting the safety of their employees and others, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries, and reducing loss of productivity.
• To reduce risks associated with their worker’s compensation claims, including litigation from injured workers who blame the company for their injuries or illness.
• To avoid absenteeism and other issues related to poor health in the workplace (e.g., higher turnover).

When You Should Set a Fitness for Duty Examination

What leads you to test an employee’s fitness for duty? In most cases, it’s not a simple decision. It has to be based on their performance and any other indicators of their ability to do the job.

In general: anytime there is cause for concern about an employee’s ability to perform well in their work environment and/or meet expectations of service delivery standards at your organization. Here are more scenarios where an examination may be necessary.

New employees

While new employees can help the company grow, they can also be a risk to your company. If they’re not fit for duty, they could be a liability. They need to be able to do their job and work with others. New employees also need to be able to follow instructions and adapt quickly. It’s advised to assess your candidates’ abilities in these areas before they become part of your team.

There’s no one right way to determine whether or not a candidate is fit for duty—you’ll want to use whatever assessment works best for your organization’s needs and culture. But there are some basic questions that every hiring manager should ask themselves while vetting new hires:

• Does this candidate have the necessary skills? Do their skills align with what we need from them? Have they demonstrated those skills in previous jobs?
• Can I trust this person with confidential information about our clients or customers (or other sensitive data)? Will they share confidential information with anyone else without permission? Do they seem trustworthy overall?
• Will they get along well with coworkers if we hire them into an open position on our team right away?

They experience health issues

You can also ask your candidates about their health. This is especially important if you’re hiring for a field or position where the work is physically demanding. If a candidate isn’t fit to do the job, they’re going to be unhappy, and you’ll spend more money training them than if you’d just hired someone who was already prepared for what your company needs.

This question can also be helpful in determining whether or not someone will be able to handle the stress of a high-pressure role. If they’ve experienced illness or injury in the past, there’s a chance that it might show up again at some point during their time on the job—and if they aren’t prepared for it now, they won’t be prepared when that time comes!

Emotional and mental health

The emotional and mental health of a candidate can affect their ability to do the job. If you have candidates who are affected by depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, they may struggle with their responsibilities on the job. For example:

• They may be less able to concentrate during training or at work if they are experiencing stress or anxiety.
• They could be prone to making mistakes that could result in injuries.
• They might have trouble interacting with co-workers and supervisors if they are having problems with self-esteem or confidence in themselves.

This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get the job or be fired. It helps to know an employee’s capacity and capabilities and whether or not they can cope with the work pressures while dealing with their mental and emotional health.

Repetitive signs

Repetitive signs, such as those for repetitive strain injuries, are a common sign of mental fatigue. If you see the same signs consistently in your candidates and they’re getting worse over time, then you may want to look at their work habits and their stress levels. 

Mental fatigue can manifest itself in different ways: some people get angry easily and lash out at others; others become depressed or anxious; some suffer from insomnia or headaches; still others develop obsessive-compulsive tendencies; while yet others have trouble focusing on specific tasks or become forgetful (they may even begin making mistakes on the job).

Employee Benefits

The benefits for your company are clear, but there are also a lot of reasons why you should care about employee health and wellness from a personal perspective. As a manager, you may be worried that your employees will be offended if you ask them to undergo drug testing. The truth is that it’s better to err on the side of caution when it comes to employee health than risk losing an employee due to substance abuse issues.

Just because someone is intelligent, hardworking and has the right skills, it doesn’t mean they are fit for duty. When you hire new employees, you need to make sure they have a solid work ethic and will fit into your business culture. This can be difficult to assess during the interview process but there are some tell-tale signs that someone might not be right for your company.