National No Smoking Day, 8 March 2017; A guide for workplaces
Today is No Smoking Day, an annual campaign designed to help those who want to quit reduce or stop smoking altogether and raise awareness of support resources available. The campaign is supported by NHS, and many employers, and has ran since 1983, originally on Ash Wednesday as Quit for the Day.
As experts in Workplace Behavioural Health, we recognise that people smoking can be a concern for employers as they seek to improve employee wellbeing and ensure health and safety for all staff in line with legislation.
Those who smoke whether frequently or occasionally often do so to alleviate anxiety, to “feel better” and “reduce stress” using a highly addictive stimulant that is going to cause long term health damage and actually raise blood pressure and heart rate, which is then compounded by ongoing cravings for nicotine.
The law now places responsibilities on employers to prevent smoking in company buildings and vehicles by clearly displayed signs, and smoking rooms once found in every workplace are a distant relic of the past. Both employee and employer can be fined for any breaches, and some workplaces have clear policies which can lead to disciplinary action.
So how can we support colleagues to give up?
If you are an employer, a great place to start is with a policy on smoking, as this makes your stance and attitude clear to employees. You may also want to consider;
1) what support you’ll give to employees who want to quit;
2) whether workplace factors are contributing to your employees smoking, eg role models, culture, deadlines and exposure to stress and health and safety risk;
3) putting in place campaigns and tools to help employees manage their environment and stress in a healthy way;
4) building health and wellness into your reward and engagement strategy;
Whilst employers can encourage healthy behavioural change, the choice is always ultimately with the individual. Equipping your managers with the ability to listen and take a “whole-life” approach can create a culture where employees have the confidence to share what may be causing them stress both inside and outside of work, so that any plan by the employee to reduce harmful behaviour such as smoking can be supported.
This may be seen as a progressive approach, and take time and investment to implement, however it’s one that can change a culture and reap benefits in employee satisfaction and productivity, not to mention minimising long term health risks such as COPD, asthma, heart disease, cancers and other illnesses triggered by smoking or passive smoking.
About Salutem Health:
The aims of Salutem Health are to support identification, prevention and education for employers and employees, on behavioural issues in the workplace.
People experience highs and lows for many reasons, at all levels of their professional careers. For your organisation and long-term growth, your employees are the greatest asset you have. Your employees are your best investment, so ultimately it is a necessity to ensure the staff’s wellbeing is a priority.
Salutem Health specialise in Workplace Behavioural Health, providing bespoke and tailored solutions, such as policy review and writing, online training tools, in-person workshops and expertise to businesses that are wishing to educate, rehabilitate and support staff members that are challenged with behavioural health conditions, such as:
- Stress-related illness
- Depression and anxiety
- Substance misuse
- Alcohol related challenges
- Eating disorders
- Gambling addiction / Inappropriate risk taking
- Other dependencies which affect the workplace
Salutem have a team of global specialists that are well positioned to assist and support organisations and employees, removing risks and reducing costs, whilst improving outcomes for all concerned.
Salutem Health design and deliver programs for Team Members, Line Managers and Directors, and can help create a culture of wellness and high performance, leading to happy and engaged employees.
Salutem Health can help you:
- Identify where and when your business needs to act;
Online wellbeing assessment
Workplace Behavioural Health Audit
Drug and alcohol testing (swab testing)
- Protect you and your employees;
Alcohol and drug policy writing
Action planning
Active case management and specialist HR support
Referral to appropriate specialist Intervention and treatment options
- Educate to minimise risk through our workshops and training materials
Alcohol and drug awareness
Stress management
Mental health first aid
Gambling addiction
Our primary purpose is to help organisations understand behavioural health conditions and guide their employees to a place of management, recovery and happiness, whilst supporting their business outcomes. With the right training, support and intervention, Salutem Health help your people and your organisation to flourish together.
For more information on Salutem Health, please visit: www.salutemhealth.co.uk
For any enquiries regarding Behavioural Health policies, training, workshops and bespoke programmes for your organisation, please contact the Salutem Health team directly on 0207 9932060 or email info@salutemhealth.co.uk – all enquiries will be dealt with in strict confidence.