Costs of Smoking in the Workplace

The consequences of smoking at the workplace are evaluated in:

Human terms:

• A study conducted by the World Health Organization in 1998 showed that the majority of smokers over 40 years old die before retirement age.
• One in two smokers dies as a result of smoking.
• Smokers suffer greater stress than non-smokers.

In terms of productivity loss:

Smokers have:

• 34% increased rate of absenteeism
• 29% increased risk of industrial injury
• 40% increased risk of occupational injury
• 55% increased risk of disciplinary action

On average, 1/4 of company employees are smokers and employing a smoker costs the company an extra £2000 a year per smoker.

In terms of social tensions:

• The quality of social relations is a major factor in the productivity of the company and its economic development.
• Tensions between smokers and non-smokers have negative consequences.
• Even with the most lenient smoking policies, some smokers feel victimised and resentful.