What are the benefits for businesses having a no-smoking policy?

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Employers have a legal responsibility to protect the health of their employees. Having a no-smoking policy can reduce legal liability; create a safer working environment, improve workers' health, reduce tensions between smokers and non-smokers and demonstrate your commitment to the wellbeing of all your staff and customers

Smoking could be harming your business because…

• An average smoker may take six 10 minute smoke breaks each day, that's an hour of work lost for each smoker employed. Five hours per smoker per week!
  
• Non-smokers may resent the number of additional breaks their smoking colleagues take and take additional breaks themselves
  
• Due to these tensions, staff moral and productivity may suffer
  
• Smokers are more likely to be ill and take longer to recover placing additional strain on business
  
• Secondhand smoking may damage the health of non-smokers leading to sickness, loss of productivity and the threat of litigation
  
• Businesses who don't provide separate accommodation for smokers and non-smokers maybe be failing to meet their health and safety obligations
  
• Smoking increases fire risk and so insurance premiums will be higher
  
• Nicotine stained furnishings curtains and decoration need more frequent cleaning, replacement and refurbishment
  
• Many non-smokers avoid places where smoking is allowed. More than 70% of people are non-smokers and generally they have more money to spend - because they don't smoke

Therefore having a no-smoking policy has significant benefits for business:

• Increased on-the-job productivity, just think of the cost of all those 'smoke breaks'
• Improved working relationships and morale
  
• Reduced sickness and early retirements due to ill health
  
• Reduced annual health-care costs and health insurance for smokers
  
• Fulfilment of health and safety regulations and reduced risk of litigation
  
• Reduced risk of fire damage, explosions and other accidents related to smoking
  
• Reduced insurance premiums
  
• Reduced maintenance and cleaning costs
  
• Greater appeal to non-smoking customers - the majority of the population
  
• Increased income - remember all those non-smokers with money to spend