Smoking in the workplace and NICE guidelines

Written by Chris Jessop CEO of Nuffield Proactive Health

Further to the story in The Times yesterday on the NICE guidelines advising employers to allow smokers time off work to help them quit smoking, I thought youíd be interested in speaking with Chris Jessop, CEO of Nuffield Proactive Health about some brand new research we have conducted on the issue.

Nuffield Proactive Health is the UKís leading provider of corporate health and wellness facilities, including onsite health and fitness facilities and advanced health screening. Our recent research among managerial level employers in all different types of companies that has found that on average 73% of employers would choose a non smoking candidate for a position in their company over a smoker, proving that smoking has a serious impact on the workplace. The NICE stats suggest that smoking costs pounds in lost productivity, but employers also suspect as much, with 6 in 10 thinking considering smokers less productive than non smokers.

Only 44% of the managers surveyed think that employers have a duty to help their employees stop smoking if they wish, indicating that only just over 4 in 10 would be keen on the NICE guidelines on taking time out of work to help quit.

59% agreed that come the smoking ban on 1st July, employers should proactively commit to providing wellness solutions to their smoking staff, such as turning their smoking room into a gym or giving everyone, smokers and non smokers alike, short breaks in the day to go outside and walk in the fresh air.