Benefits for Businesses
How can a total ban on smoking in enclosed places benefit a business?
Health
Smoking harms the health of smokers and those around them. Smokers are at far higher risks of strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases, cancers of the lungs, mouth, larynx, bladder, pancreas, kidneys and stomach. Tobacco causes 4 million deaths worldwide each year, and the numbers are increasing fast.
Benefits for Employer
Employers bear both the direct and indirect costs as a result of employees smoking. A smoke-free environment has the potential to provide both health and financial benefits, including:
- Your business will have complied with the relevant smoke-free legislations
- All parties will have a clear understanding of their rights and obligations
- You will be protecting the health of your employees
- Decrease employee absenteeism
- Increase productivity
- Decrease early retirement due to ill health
- Lower annual health care costs for smokers and lower employee health insurance
- Lower life insurance premium
- Lower maintenance and cleaning cost
- Reduce the risks of fire damages, explosions or other related smoke related accidents.
- Lower building insurance premiums
- Improve employee morale as they demonstrate the importance of a healthier working environment
- Enhance corporate image
Benefits for Employees
- Improves the health and well-being of all employees - both smokers and non-smokers
- Promotion of a healthy living style and No-Smoking culture
- Promotion of a clear working environment
- Reduces exposure to second-hand smoke
- Reduces the risk of cancer, heart diseases and respiratory in adults
- Provision of a smoke supportive environment for those trying to quit
Employees are much more likely to quit smoking in a workplace that is completely smoke-free, as apposed to one with designated smoking areas.
The latest National Survey of Lifestyle, Attitude and Nutrition (Slan) reveals a drop of four percent in smoking rates over the last five years in Ireland to 27% today.
As seven out of ten smokers want to quit, it is anticipated that a smoke free environment will provide a supportive environment for employees trying to quit.
