Helping your employees stop smoking at work

About 70% of those who smoke reported that they would like to be able to quit.The number one reason why these smokers do not quit is because they do not know how to do it.These smokers do not know that there are programs available that can be effective in helping them to quit.As an employer, you have access to programs that your employees may not have the means by which to find or fund on their own.Providing smoking cessation opportunities at work is a great way to facilitate the change within the smokers that you work with.This change can not only lead to improved health and even a longer lived life for the employee, but it can also lead to a healthier working environment for co-workers.

There are a number of different approaches that you can take to help your employees stop smoking at work.The first and easiest approach is to provide your employees with information to help them quit smoking.From the employer's standpoint, this method of help is relatively simple to provide.With a small investment you can purchase things like self-help materials or an online subscription to a smoking cessation website.The next approach that you can take is the more hands on approach of actually facilitating the act of helping your employees to stop smoking.This approach involves working with outside agencies to deliver programs and even off-site resources and activities for your employees.This approach builds on the first approach to simply providing information as it gives your employees direction for what they can then do with that information.The last approach is to take a very comprehensive approach to assisting in employee smoking cessation by offering employees the option of taking some time during work hours (i.e. break times or lunch time) to participate in the activities and programs that you have provided.Invite a smoking cessation expert to come to your place of work and hold a short workshop.Really utilize the financial resources that you can allocate to this wellness program as well as the opportunity that you have to relieve some of the worry of "when will I have time to do this" for your employee.

As you think about what types of things you will need to include in your program to help employees stop smoking, remember the following key components as they are consistent elements that are found in successful smoking cessation programs.

1. Providing support for the quitting attempt is the most important thing that you can do for your employees.If the smoker has no support system but what you can provide for them at work, encourage the employee to look to friends and family for support.

2. Keep in mind that smoking is an addition and addictions have both a physical and an emotional component to them.Generally the workplace is not the most appropriate place to really tackle the challenge that is involved with addiction, so it is important to provide your employees with a comfortable option for getting the one-on-one personal help that they need.Provide appropriate opportunities for learning problem solving and skill building techniques in the workplace that can then be used to help employees quit smoking.

3. Written materials provide an employee wishing to quit smoking with a very unintimidating first step towards conquering their addition.When written materials are provided at work, the smoker has the opportunity to take on the task of tackling their habit when they feel comfortable doing so.Naturally, the information contained in the written materials also provides valuable and motivational information to the smoker.