Japanese company offers extra vacation days to non-smokers...

[paredown]

Used to work with a bunch of smokers who always seemed to find time to go outside for a lot of smoke breaks. I like this solution:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/world/asia/japan-smokers-vacation.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=11&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F1 1%2F02%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Fjapan-smokers-vacation.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

[macaroon]

Used to work with a bunch of smokers who always seemed to find time to go outside for a lot of smoke breaks. I like this solution:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/world/asia/japan-smokers-vacation.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=11&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F1 1%2F02%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Fjapan-smokers-vacation.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

Great idea.

Although moaning about cigarette breaks as a non-smoker is a bit petulant. Just go an stand outside for five minutes for some fresh air if you want a break.

[nooneline]

it's probably more significant as an incentive to get people to quit, and to reduce health insurance costs, than it is a way to equalize time off among smokers and nonsmokers.

[mattnes17]

I work for Abbott and they have implemented a TON of health initiatives in the last 2 years. I'm going to suggest this one :bike:

[AngryScientist]

"smoke breaks" on the surface are not necessarily a healthy practice because of....the smoking; but on the flip side, if working at a desk job, or some other repetitive activity - taking a few minute break every couple hours is a great idea. get up, move, get some fresh air, etc.

when i'm in the office, i try my best to take a break every couple hours, walk around the building outside, go get coffee, whatever.

it's a good idea to give an incentive to non-smokers, i agree - but on the premise of smoke breaks taking away from productive work hours is a bit much. i'd rather encourage non smokers to take a few minute walk.

i think Japan though still has a very strong smoking culture, especially in the big cities?

[Mikej]

I know not smoking is healthy, but the average age one is diagnosed with lung cancer is 70. This is really about time and angry non-smokers watching people stand around outside on a sunny day for 1.5 hrs.

[paredown]

Great idea.

Although moaning about cigarette breaks as a non-smoker is a bit petulant. Just go an stand outside for five minutes for some fresh air if you want a break.
Yep--I'm a little petulant about it. Smokers are addicts, and they NEED to go outside for a smoke break.

In the IT contract teams I worked with, I did start taking breaks with the smokers, more to get a chance to talk privately amongst ourselves away from client ears.

But in other front-line jobs I have had, the smokers would just announce and walk out, leaving others to cover for them and the option was not there for the same behaviour for anyone else. It's the selfishness of addicts and yes it pissed me off (and I think it is a felt violation of fairness more than petulance.)

I agree with the idea of taking breaks away from the desk, and a lot of non-front-line workers do have that option and should take it.

[bobswire]

God already grants non smokers extra years to their life.

[macaroon]

Yep--I'm a little petulant about it. Smokers are addicts, and they NEED to go outside for a smoke break.

In the IT contract teams I worked with, I did start taking breaks with the smokers, more to get a chance to talk privately amongst ourselves away from client ears.

But in other front-line jobs I have had, the smokers would just announce and walk out, leaving others to cover for them and the option was not there for the same behaviour for anyone else. It's the selfishness of addicts and yes it pissed me off (and I think it is a felt violation of fairness more than petulance.)

I agree with the idea of taking breaks away from the desk, and a lot of non-front-line workers do have that option and should take it.

:-) We're only human aren't we. I think cigarette breaks, coffee breaks, messing about on cycling forum breaks; it's all fair game when you're at work. No one works every minute of the day, or if you do, you're very unlucky.

God already grants non smokers extra years to their life.

:-D :banana:

[rousseau]

Asking this oppressed minority to cough up their vacation days is blatant tobacconism. You can blow smoke till you're blue in the face, but we really need to butt out this prejudice. After all, would you ask anyone else to suck it up like this?

Hardly. You're all piling on like a pack of camels.

[cribbit]

My view is that a desk job should be assigning work and it's up to you to get it done. If you're able to work fast enough or stay late enough then take all the breaks you want, all your boss should get on your case for is calendar days taken. Sheer number of hours worked is a useless metric.

[Jaybee]

My view is that a desk job should be assigning work and it's up to you to get it done. If you're able to work fast enough or stay late enough then take all the breaks you want, all your boss should get on your case for is calendar days taken. Sheer number of hours worked is a useless metric.

My industry and many others operate on billable hours. So the amount of time I and my team can bill a client for is a key performance metric - used to calculate year-end bonuses, promotions or lack thereof, whatever.


And here I am on a cycling forum, planning an early afternoon MTB ride.

[gdw]

Will an employee that gives up smoking and switches to chewing tobacco be eligible for extra time off?

[AngryScientist]

Will an employee that gives up smoking and switches to chewing tobacco be eligible for extra time off?

as long as he keeps his spitoon at his work station :)

[ColonelJLloyd]

i think Japan though still has a very strong smoking culture, especially in the big cities?

Article said 20% nationally, but 35% for this particular company. Articled cited 15% for US.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Great idea.

Although moaning about cigarette breaks as a non-smoker is a bit petulant. Just go an stand outside for five minutes for some fresh air if you want a break.

We used to complain about this years ago in the Navy. Wouldn’t go over too well if you told the Chief you wanted to go stand outside for some fresh air for a few minutes. OTOH, half the crew was already outside in the fresh air.

[josephr]

as long as he keeps his spitoon at his work station :)

or vapes in the middle of the department meeting...:confused: