Smoke-Free Workplaces

It has been found that employees who smoke cost their employers and workplaces $4,256 per year, through increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and increased medical and insurance costs¹.

What can employers do?

Employers can do a number of things to help make their workplaces a smoke-free environment, such as:

• Educate employees on the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and enforce its legislation and requirements in the workplace
• Develop and implement a smoke-free workplace policy
• Provide educational resources (such as handouts and pamphlets) for employees on reducing or quitting smoking
• Deliver smoking cessation workshops for those interested (contact local health unit to have a public health nurse come in and present)
• Extend employees’ benefits packages to include smoking cessation aids (such as cessation counselling, nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum and patches)
• Refer employees to available community resources for smoking cessation (see Quit Smoking)

References

1. The Conference Board of Canada. (2013). Up in Smoke: Smokers Cost Their Employers More Than $4,000 Each Per Year. Retrieved from http://www.conferenceboard.ca/press/newsrelease/13-10-29/up_in_smoke_smokers_cost_their_employers_more_than_4_000_each_per_year.aspx

Related Resources

• A Guide for Employers on How to Support Employees to Be Smoke-Free
• Video: What is the Single Best Thing You Can Do to Quit Smoking?