Help staff kick the habit

By the 1st July 2007 all public places in the United Kingdom will be smoke free under the Health Act 2006. With an estimated 70% of smokers wanting to give up, this offers employers the perfect opportunity to introduce initiatives to support employees who still smoke to finally kick the habit.

Leading provider of health and wellbeing solutions, FirstAssist has developed a comprehensive therapy and support programme that companies can provide to help employees get through the gruelling process of giving up smoking. The Smoking Cessation Programme has two complementary modular elements designed to suit the operational and budgetary requirements of any organisation. This launch is part of FirstAssistís ongoing commitment to delivering proactive wellbeing solutions to businesses and their staff.

Ian Sparks, Managing Director, FirstAssist Services comments, ìEmployers are beginning to realise that a healthy workforce is a more productive one and stopping smoking is the greatest single step individuals can take to improve their health and life expectancy. Quitting smoking before middle age avoids 90% of the health risks of smoking and employers have an important role to play in helping staff give up.î

Module one of FirstAssistís programme, is a one day Stop Smoking Awareness Day and interactive workshop, offering employers an ideal way to raise awareness about the benefits of quitting smoking and the different issues that need to be considered. It is also a great way to sign post staff to local NHS services and offers them access to a one to one consultation with a smoking cessation specialist, who will provide up-to-date and personalised information about smoking. Staff also have an opportunity to check lung function and carbon monoxide body content.

In addition to the awareness day, module two incorporates a Stop Smoking Awareness Day plus three follow on support sessions for employees. This is a four week course and is designed to support staff throughout the whole process of giving up. Ongoing support for staff from trained counsellors can also be included in the module.

Sparks continues, ìEmployers need to strike a balance between supporting staff who want to give up and alienating those who still smoke. Display ëno smokingí signs and ensure staff are aware that premises and vehicles are legally required to be smoke free. Help employees by removing ashtrays from smokefree areas and consult with them to develop a smokefree policy that makes the new rules clear.

ìSmoking rooms will be a thing of the past under the new law, but ensure that staff know where they can smoke if they want to. However, instead of investing in building smoking shelters outside we advise employers to focus on providing staff with support to quit smoking. With FirstAssistís new Smoking Cessation Programme, employers gain an easy way to help their staff kick the habit, creating a work culture that focuses on their wellbeing, while helping them take responsibility for their health.î

For organisations that subscribe to the FirstAssist EmployeeCare EAP, they have the benefit of ongoing telephone support from councillors trained in providing smoking cessation support programmes.