Smoking on the Job
It sure seems that much of the trouble in this old world is the fault of those blasted smokers.
Now it has been revealed that smokers are ruining Great Britain’s economy.
A study of 1,000 smokers by the Beneden Healthcare Society found the average smoker takes three 10-minute smoking breaks a day. All told, the organization estimates that 290,000 working days are lost each year in the UK because of those lousy smokers.
I just happen to have some thoughts about this:
- Now, I can’t remember taking three smoking breaks on a work day unless it was a really bad, awful, totally disastrous day or I was putting in work weeks of 50 to 60 hours.
- I personally know many smokers who are conscientious (or concerned about looking like a slacker) and more than make up the work time spent on cigarette breaks.
- If you are or were a smoker, when was the last time it took you 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette–if you smoked a whole cigarette?
- Research shows that short rest breaks increase productivity, decrease the incidence of workplace accidents, help reduce the chance of developing certain health risks such as blood clots in the legs and stress-related problems.
- I can attest to the fact that with some regularity, my workplace benefited from conversations I had during smoking breaks and ideas that sprouted while I puffed away on a cigarette break. (Ideas are a big part of my work.) I also used to read trade magazines and research during while I’d take a breather with a cigarette.
And what about all those virtuous non-smokers who spend parts of their work days chatting with their pals, shopping online, sending private email messages and taking personal phone calls?
Phew! I needed to say this. Thank you for hearing out my rant!
