Dealing with smoking employees

With all the information about the dangers of smoking, it makes you wonder why people still do it. Employers are finding out that smoking employees are costing them a lot of money. Their health care costs are higher and they lose money in production costs. Some companies have even fired employees for smoking. If you don't want to be that extreme, there are some alternatives to deal with smoking employees.

First, establish a clear policy about smoking. Let your employees know your company is a smoke-free company. This means you expect your employees not to smoke while they are at the office. They cannot smoke while they are inside the building and you can limit the amount of time you give them for smoke breaks.

Second, be clear about the costs of smoking. Spend some time with your employees and let them know how much their lifestyle habits are costing the company. Smoking will cause the entire company to be placed into a high-risk category for health insurance, forcing companies to shell out an extra $6,000 or more a year in health insurance coverage. To combat this additional cost, let your employees know that you are going to start charging them for the money they are costing the company. If people know they will be financially punished for their lifestyle, they will make efforts to change. This may be the push some employees need to finally quit smoking.

Third, take away sick leave. By law, you need to offer some sick leave to your employees but you can take away the additional sick leave people use up. Smokers tend to use about 7 extra sick days a year. If you limit their sick leave to 4 days, they will lose out on 3 days worth of pay. This may inspire some employees to start getting healthier so they don't lose money.

Fourth, try offering incentives to get your employees to quit smoking. Incentives are effective and they can easily help your employees quit smoking. They will also help your company reduce healthcare costs and other expenses that are increased because of your smoking employees.

Fifth, set-up support groups for your employees that are tying to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is not easy and it always helps to have someone talk to. Some companies hire a special team of medical professionals with their wellness program. These individuals are there to help the employees that are making a commitment to living a healthier lifestyle. This lifestyle could come from losing weight or quitting smoking. If you do invest some money in support groups, make sure you also offer to provide them with nicotine gum or patches that can help them curb their cravings.

Sixth, make sure you acknowledge your employees that are able to quit smoking. This is a big accomplishment and they need to know you are supporting them. Encourage them along the way by spending a few minutes with them and just asking about their progress. The wellness programs are based on honesty and trust. If you show your employees you care about them, they won't have a reason to lie. Tell this person that their lifestyle choice to quit smoking has benefitted the entire office. The healthcare costs will start to go down for everyone and this extra money will be put back into the employee's paychecks. You can also let them know that they are saving the lives of their co-workers and family members by quitting smoking. However you choose to acknowledge it, make sure the employees knows that you appreciate their hard work and commitment to finally quit smoking.

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