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Should Employers Help Smokers? - My Peterborough Jobs

Employers should offer Stop Smoking Courses

Supporting employees to stop smoking could leave organisations with a more productive workforce.

Smoking cessation support in the workplace may well be an attractive investment for many employers, and could help deliver a happier, healthier and more productive workforce, according to the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Responding to guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) proposing that employers should offer "stop smoking" courses in the workplace, Ben Willmott, Employee Relations Adviser at the CIPD, said,: "Employee well-being is rising up the agenda for many employers. A healthy, happy workforce is likely to be a more productive one.

"Employers who understand the health issues facing their employees, and who are able to offer innovative approaches to promoting good health can reap the benefits, not just in terms of reduced absence, but also in terms of a workforce that is more effective and more productive.

"Clearly each employer will need to consider what is right for their business. But, having considered the available options, many employers may well conclude that offering smoking cessation support in the workplace will work for their business.

"When you add together time taken for smoking breaks, and time taken off due to smoking related illness, the few hours of employee time and small amount of money involved in offering this kind of support may well look like an attractive investment."

Findings from CIPD's 2006 Absence Management survey show:

One-third (34%) of organisations offered 'stop smoking'
support last year. But this is expected to have increased because of the UK ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces and smoking rooms in employers' premises.
40% of UK manufacturing and production organisations provide 'stop smoking' support for employees.
21% of UK private services organisations provide 'stop smoking' support for employees.
31% of UK non-profit organisations provide 'stop smoking' support for employees.
57% of UK public sector organisations provide 'stop smoking' support for employees.
The following factsheets are free to download from:

http://www.cipd.co.uk/factsheets

* Smoking at work
* Health and safety at work
* Occupational health and organisational effectiveness

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