Hi,
Iam working in an IT company and we are <25. I would like to introduce the NO SMOKING Policy in my company. But there are some doubts on which i need your opinions.
1. While selecting if a candidate is extremely good but he is a smoker. Do we take him on the condition that he does not smoke in the office hours or do we reject him totally.
2. If we take him on the condition that he would not smoke, but discovered that he had smoked, how do we go about with that.
3. Can you give me the names of some IT companies who have this implemented this successfully.
My management is in favour of implementing this and we would not want to have anything like a 'restricted area' also.
Kindly advise. :?
Regards,
Soumya Shankar :?
From India, Bangalore
16Iam working in an IT company and we are <25. I would like to introduce the NO SMOKING Policy in my company. But there are some doubts on which i need your opinions.
1. While selecting if a candidate is extremely good but he is a smoker. Do we take him on the condition that he does not smoke in the office hours or do we reject him totally.
2. If we take him on the condition that he would not smoke, but discovered that he had smoked, how do we go about with that.
3. Can you give me the names of some IT companies who have this implemented this successfully.
My management is in favour of implementing this and we would not want to have anything like a 'restricted area' also.
Kindly advise. :?
Regards,
Soumya Shankar :?
From India, Bangalore
Hello Soumya,
I think having a no-smoking policy in the office is very vital and a good thing but you cannot be partial towards smokers during recruiting.
It’s partially like not hiring a person because he is a non-vegetarian. Bias is not good and in some countries the prospective employee can sue you for that.
However, you can easily create a policy where no employee is allowed to smoke inside the office premises or you can allot a smoking area, which can be the only place where smoking will be allowed [perhaps a balcony or terrace].
You can also add a "fine" policy where anyone caught breaking the rule will have to pay some money to the office club.
I think most IT and BPO companies have such policies and it should not be very difficult to implement.
Warm regards,
CiteHR Admin
From India, Gurgaon
I think having a no-smoking policy in the office is very vital and a good thing but you cannot be partial towards smokers during recruiting.
It’s partially like not hiring a person because he is a non-vegetarian. Bias is not good and in some countries the prospective employee can sue you for that.
However, you can easily create a policy where no employee is allowed to smoke inside the office premises or you can allot a smoking area, which can be the only place where smoking will be allowed [perhaps a balcony or terrace].
You can also add a "fine" policy where anyone caught breaking the rule will have to pay some money to the office club.
I think most IT and BPO companies have such policies and it should not be very difficult to implement.
Warm regards,
CiteHR Admin
From India, Gurgaon
Hi Soumya ...
Wipro e Peripherals (WeP) is one company I remember which has a sound No-Smoking and probably a No-Smoker Policy.
I distinctly remmeber their PPT in my MBA days, they had mentioned it and were keen on selecting only Non-Smokers.
However, its more of a matter of Policy to be taken up by an individual company.
What exactly is your concern ?? Smokers or Smoking ??
As CHR suggested, allocating Smoking Zones [Balcony / Terrace] are a good idea. They will efectively keep the 'smoke' out of the Office Premises and at the same time minimise the risk of leaving out the good 'smoker' candidate.
I think WeP will not mind in helping you with their Policy. In case you need some contact, i could try ....
;-))
From Switzerland, Geneva
Wipro e Peripherals (WeP) is one company I remember which has a sound No-Smoking and probably a No-Smoker Policy.
I distinctly remmeber their PPT in my MBA days, they had mentioned it and were keen on selecting only Non-Smokers.
However, its more of a matter of Policy to be taken up by an individual company.
What exactly is your concern ?? Smokers or Smoking ??
As CHR suggested, allocating Smoking Zones [Balcony / Terrace] are a good idea. They will efectively keep the 'smoke' out of the Office Premises and at the same time minimise the risk of leaving out the good 'smoker' candidate.
I think WeP will not mind in helping you with their Policy. In case you need some contact, i could try ....
;-))
From Switzerland, Geneva
Hey,
Thanks CHR. I think the 'fine' system should be a good idea. Its not being partial to anybody, probably one can take it as a social responsibility. Imagine all the companies having a No Smoking Policy. Also we would not want to provide any restricted area for smoking. It is absolutely 'NO SMOKING'.
Thanks for your inputs shoonya. My concern is Smoking and not Smokers. They can continue with their smoking after the office hours. It would be of a great help if you could help me out in this.
Regards,
Soumya Shankar
From India, Bangalore
Thanks CHR. I think the 'fine' system should be a good idea. Its not being partial to anybody, probably one can take it as a social responsibility. Imagine all the companies having a No Smoking Policy. Also we would not want to provide any restricted area for smoking. It is absolutely 'NO SMOKING'.
Thanks for your inputs shoonya. My concern is Smoking and not Smokers. They can continue with their smoking after the office hours. It would be of a great help if you could help me out in this.
Regards,
Soumya Shankar
From India, Bangalore
Hai,
Do you mean to say that an employee should not smoke even when he is out of the company?
Normally no one smokes while at work . This is the basic rule. Not even inside the company.
But during the lunch time they are free to do it other than having drinks.
Regards
N.Neelam
From India, Madras
Do you mean to say that an employee should not smoke even when he is out of the company?
Normally no one smokes while at work . This is the basic rule. Not even inside the company.
But during the lunch time they are free to do it other than having drinks.
Regards
N.Neelam
From India, Madras
hey Saumya ...
You know what .... Talk to some smokers ....
colleagues / batchmates, friends etc.
Find out how long they could go without the puff.
A "NO SMOKING" Policy 'sounds' good but is it feasible...
Smoking Zones need not be inside company premises.
They can very well be outside the premises.
Having fines in my opinion is not enough deterent and does not solve any problem. When a smoker wants to smoke, he/she will smoke.
And if your problem / concern is smoking and not Smokers, then your actions should be directed towards smoking and not smokers.
Smoking should and could be prevented within company premises.
Outside the company premises, what an employee does is not jurisdiction of the employer. If rules like 'smoking prevention during working hours' are applied, they can have a pretty unpredictable reaction. Smokers will definately not like it.
Another point is the Real number of smoikers in your organisation currently. You said your org. is less than 25 people. If the number of smokers is very less (less than 5) it might be easier to implement a NO SMOKING regime now and sustain it later. In that case, people who join will know before hand what is expected from them.
Coming back to the beginning, take views of Smokers into account. I bet all those who are keen on the No Smoking implementation; none of them is a Smoker !! Get some smokers into the loop and make them participate in the new regime formulation. Later on, this will be instrumental in gaining better cooperation from them; since they were involved in the formulation.
All the Best ...
And do keep us posted about the progress ....
;-) btw.. i am a non-smoker !! ;-)
From Switzerland, Geneva
You know what .... Talk to some smokers ....
colleagues / batchmates, friends etc.
Find out how long they could go without the puff.
A "NO SMOKING" Policy 'sounds' good but is it feasible...
Smoking Zones need not be inside company premises.
They can very well be outside the premises.
Having fines in my opinion is not enough deterent and does not solve any problem. When a smoker wants to smoke, he/she will smoke.
And if your problem / concern is smoking and not Smokers, then your actions should be directed towards smoking and not smokers.
Smoking should and could be prevented within company premises.
Outside the company premises, what an employee does is not jurisdiction of the employer. If rules like 'smoking prevention during working hours' are applied, they can have a pretty unpredictable reaction. Smokers will definately not like it.
Another point is the Real number of smoikers in your organisation currently. You said your org. is less than 25 people. If the number of smokers is very less (less than 5) it might be easier to implement a NO SMOKING regime now and sustain it later. In that case, people who join will know before hand what is expected from them.
Coming back to the beginning, take views of Smokers into account. I bet all those who are keen on the No Smoking implementation; none of them is a Smoker !! Get some smokers into the loop and make them participate in the new regime formulation. Later on, this will be instrumental in gaining better cooperation from them; since they were involved in the formulation.
All the Best ...
And do keep us posted about the progress ....
;-) btw.. i am a non-smoker !! ;-)
From Switzerland, Geneva
Dear Readers,
Can see a lot of smoke on this matter.
Before expressing views let me clarify first of all; I myself am a smoker friendly Non Smoker.
Smoking is a habit , which can be given up.
Most of the offices in Delhi Now are NO SMOKING ZONES as the new legislation of Delhi Govt.which prohibits Smoking at public Places. has craeted a lot of awareness.
Smokers find it difficult to abruptly give up smoking on a office change or job change or policy change.
Consideration for small smoking zones in open areas can be considered initially , which can be gradually closed after some time, even the smokers will find it difficult to go out in high temp. and smoke.
Can see a lot of smoke on this matter.
Before expressing views let me clarify first of all; I myself am a smoker friendly Non Smoker.
Smoking is a habit , which can be given up.
Most of the offices in Delhi Now are NO SMOKING ZONES as the new legislation of Delhi Govt.which prohibits Smoking at public Places. has craeted a lot of awareness.
Smokers find it difficult to abruptly give up smoking on a office change or job change or policy change.
Consideration for small smoking zones in open areas can be considered initially , which can be gradually closed after some time, even the smokers will find it difficult to go out in high temp. and smoke.
Greetings All,
I went through your reviews and suggestions of No Smoking policy, but it is very hard to implement these ideas into practice. A smoker finds it really hard to go through such rules. In an industry like BPO , where works are hectic, a smoker needs at least one puff during breaks to free his mind. from all my experience, what i came to know is tht, to quit smoking is really hard.
Warm Regards
Ancel Fernandez
I went through your reviews and suggestions of No Smoking policy, but it is very hard to implement these ideas into practice. A smoker finds it really hard to go through such rules. In an industry like BPO , where works are hectic, a smoker needs at least one puff during breaks to free his mind. from all my experience, what i came to know is tht, to quit smoking is really hard.
Warm Regards
Ancel Fernandez
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