Do smoking cessation programs really work?

Millions of dollars have been spent on smoking cessation programs. Employers are trying everything they can to get their smoking employees to finally quit smoking because they are raising the healthcare costs for their entire company. Since there are so many smoking cessation programs out there, it makes one wonder, "do smoking cessation programs really work?"

Smoking cessations programs can work, but it is all in the way you approach it. Quitting smoking is not easy and your employees will be the first ones to admit that. Without a good support group and strong willpower, most people won't be able to quit smoking. Employers need to understand the hardships their employees will face as they try to quit smoking. Don't badger your employees about quitting smoking, instead take some time to ask them how they are doing and how you can help. Sometimes just showing your employees that you genuinely care about them will provide them with the motivation they need to quit smoking.

A good smoking cessation program helps their employees quit smoking by establishing some goals. Some of your employees will be able to quit smoking cold turkey where your other employees will need a little extra help. Create a schedule for your employees to follow that helps them stay on target with their "goal date". This date will be the day you have chosen to completely give up smoking once and for all so it is important to see it on a daily basis as a reminder. You can help your employees by sending them email reminders of their progress. Send out little notices that tell them how many days, hours, and minutes they have been smoke-free.

Hire a therapist to come in and offer support and advice for your employees. A lot of people just need some help and they need someone to talk to about their struggles with quitting smoking. A therapist can provide them with the outlet they need to talk about their problems and they can provide them with tips on how to make it through a craving. Most cities offer stop smoking programs and this is a great place to go and get the support and encouragement you need to quit smoking. Organize a smoking cessation group at your office and encourage people to meet for an hour once a week after work or even during lunch. You can all talk about the frustrations you have been dealing with and you can all find a way to support and encourage one another to keep working hard.

There are various smoking cessation programs out there, you just need to find a program that is geared toward your companies needs. Evaluate all of your employees personalities and determine how they will respond to the program. Some will be motivated to do it on their own while others will need the support of the entire office to quit smoking. Consult with each of your employees before you implement a smoking cessation program to see how they feel about it and if they will participate in it.

For the employees that don't seem to care about their health, you need to implement a punishment for smoking. Start charging them extra money each paycheck if they continue to smoke, this is a great way to get some of your employees to finally quit smoking because they don't want to pay more money for the same healthcare coverage. Penalties are harsh, but some of your employees may need to face them if they absolutely refuse to respond to nicer smoking cessation programs you have tried to implement within the company.