A business case for going smokefree

Employers bear both the direct and indirect costs as a result of employees smoking. A smokefree workplace has the potential to provide both health and financial benefits, including:

  • Savings made from cigarette breaks, an average smoker may take six 10 minute smoke breaks each day, that's an hour of work lost for each smoker employed. Five hours per smoker per week.

  • Improves staff moral - Non-smokers may resent the number of additional breaks their smoking colleagues take and take additional breaks themselves. Due to these tensions, staff moral and productivity may suffer.

  • Protection of non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and consequently, reduced risk of fires and litigation. Employers have a legal responsibility to protect the health of their employees. Having a no-smoking policy can reduce legal liability; create a safer working environment and demonstrates your commitment to the wellbeing of all your staff and customers

  • Reduced cleaning, refurbishing, maintenance costs and high insurance. Nicotine stained furnishings curtains and decoration need more frequent cleaning, replacement and refurbishment

  • Reduced risk of losing employees through sickness, premature death or early retirement. Smokers are more likely to be ill and take longer to recover placing additional strain on business.

  • Enhanced corporate image showing greater responsibility toward improving the working environment.

  • Many non-smokers avoid places where smoking is allowed. More than 70% of people are non-smokers and generally they have more money to spend - because they don't smoke. It is estimated that 35% of non smokers avoid smoking areas.14

  • Eliminate the chance of cigarette smoke chemicals combining with other chemicals in the workplace to increase risks to health.

  • Fulfilment of health and safety regulations and reduced risk of litigation

  • Reduced risk of fire damage, explosions and other accidents related to smoking.

  • Reduced insurance premiums.15

  • Reduced annual health-care costs and health insurance for smokers 16

  • Reduces nicotine dependence and helps more workers who quit to stay quit.

 

There are already restrictions on smoking in New York, Canada, Norway, Ireland,Scotland, New Zealand and the southern states of Australia. One of the benefits of smoke free legislation is that it makes it easier for smokers to quit or indeed reduces the daily intake levels. Research commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson showed that a public smoking ban would boost the economy by at least £2.3 billion - not including savings to the NHS from people quitting (3.3 billion).

14. MORI (2005) The report ‘Attitudes Towards Smoking in Public Places in South Yorkshire’ was commissioned by the Smoke Free South Yorkshire Tobacco Alliance, and conducted independently by the MORI Social Research Institute in March 2005.

15. Scollo M et al. A review of the quality of studies on the economic effects of
smokefree policies on the hospitality industry. Tobacco Control 2002; 12:
13-20 http://tc.bmjjournals.com

16. Smokefree ACTION (2005). Going smokefree the case for all pubs and clubs.

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SCOTH review of Secondhand Smoke

Pubs and Clubs going Smokefree

New York City Review

Ventilation Argument

CMO Report on Public Places