Fire the Habit, Not the Addict
More and more business owners are accessing the high cost of hiring or continuing to employ smokers. According to a 2005 Ohio Employer's Guide employers incur significant extra costs associated to the smokers on staff. The guide claims that smokers will average 60% more work days missed due to illness compared to the non-smokers. Along with that employers can expect to experience double the loss of production time per week. The figure put forth by guide warns that the cost of employing a smoker was approximately $3,400 each year.
"The reality is that the cost of employing a smoker can be much higher but harder to calculate the exact figure" says Marketing Coach, Larry Arrance. "As smoking becomes less and less acceptable and the number of non-smokers increasing, employees who smoke will begin to be a determining factor whether people will do business with you or not." Does this mean that employers should fire their employees that are addicted to tobacco? "Not at all" says Mr. Arrance. "A good employee is an asset and should be treated as such. It is estimated that it will cost an employer as much as 150% of what they are currently paying an employee to replace them. And if the employee is exceptional the time and cost involved with finding a replacement goes up. You are far better off to fire the habit not the addict."
Addiction to tobacco is exactly that, an addiction not just a bad habit. In their Stop Smoking for Life program A Home Away Retreat focuses on the core issue behind the addiction. Addiction Specialist John Derry, "As much as it would be nice to end an addiction by simply putting on a patch or chewing some gum it is rarely successful. One of the reasons our guests enjoy a lifelong freedom from smoking is we help them uncover their reasons for their addictions. Once those reasons are dealt with the addiction has no power and they can say goodbye to tobacco and smoking forever."
From a bottom line perspective employers are far wiser to invest in converting a smoking employee to a non-smoking asset. They'll end up with a happier, healthier and more productive employee.
Jane Derry
A Home Away Retreat - Rethink Rehab & Addiction
http://www.ahomeaway.org