Are cigarette breaks unfair?

Are cigarette breaks unfair?

With an average of four smoking breaks per working day, Vapourlites.com decided to find out what non-smoking office workers across a range of industries really think and feel about their colleagues who smoke. So, are cigarette breaks unfair?

A survey of 622 non-smoking office workers from across the country revealed:

  • 66% of non-smoking office workers believe it is unfair that their colleagues who smoke take ‘additional’ breaks throughout the day
  • 58% of non-smoking office workers think that those who smoke during normal working hours should be made to ‘clock’ or ‘record’ their smoking breaks
  • 44% of non-smoking office workers citied smoking breaks as being commonly ‘disruptive’, especially when working together in teams
  • 30% of non-smoking office workers admitted to formally or informally complaining to seniors about how often and how long smoking breaks are taken for

Most office-based employers, regardless of their industry, have a number of workers who smoke. Their tendency to smoke will often be used as a coping mechanism to handle work-related stress and pressures. Many employers therefore willingly allow workers who smoke to do so whenever they get the urge. Whilst it may seem like a satisfactory arrangement, workers who don’t smoke may feel otherwise.

A study on behalf of the British Heart Foundation astoundingly revealed that smokers disappear up to four times a day for a duration of ten minutes each. The same study also found that smoking breaks cost employers an astronomical £1,815 a year for each full-time employee who regularly puffs away during working hours.

So how do the businesses in Suffolk feel about it? Let us know how smoking affects your business by leaving a comment on any of our social media pages or emailing us on [email protected] with the email titles ‘Cigarette Breaks in Suffolk’.

All articles on this news site are submitted by registered contributors of SuffolkWire. Find out how to subscribe and submit your stories here »