Smoking policies final

March 19, 2012

SHRM Poll: Smoking Policies in the Workplace

Smoking Policies in the Workplace ©SHRM 2012 2

Key Findings

Do organizations have a formal policy against hiring smokers? The majority of organizations (95%) do not have a formal policy against hiring smokers and have no plans to implement such a policy. Only 2% of organizations currently have a formal policy against hiring smokers, while 3% of organizations plan to implement such a policy within the next 12 months.

What smoking policies do organizations have in place? The most common smoking policy that organizations have in place is one that designates specific smoking areas outside of the common areas (58%). The prevalence of this policy decreased from 2006 (74%) and 2004 (72%). Other policies include offering a smoking cessation program (44%) and enforcing written a policy that states smoking in undesignated areas may result in termination (27%).

How are smoking policies communicated? More than two-thirds of organizations convey their smoking policies through employee handbooks/manuals (70%), 60% through new employee orientations and 58% through “no smoking/smoking” signs and/or posters in designated areas.

Do organizations offer employee health insurance discounts for non-smokers or those in smoking cessation programs? 20% of organizations offer this type of health insurance discount to employees. Of these organizations, 10% offer the discount to non-smokers only, 8% offer the discount to both non-smokers and participants in smoking cessation programs, and 2% offer the discount only to participants in smoking cessation programs. Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to offer employee health insurance discounts to non-smokers compared with smaller organizations (1 to 2,499 employees).


Key Findings

What types of treatments do organizations offer in their smoking cessation program? More than half of organizations provide individual counseling (57%), nicotine replacement therapy (55%) and/or cessation medications (53%).

Do organizations impose disciplinary actions against employees who violate the smoking policy? Of the organizations that have smoking practices/policies, nearly three-quarters (74%) take disciplinary actions against employees who violate the organization’s smoking policies. The majority of organizations give a verbal warning (77%) or a written warning (63%). Almost one-half of smoking policy violations result in termination (41%).


Does your organization have a formal policy against hiring smokers?

95%

3% 2%

No, and we have no plans to implement such a policy

No, but we have plans to implement such a policy within the next 12 months

Yes

In 2006, 1% of organiza-tions indicated that they had a formal policy against hiring smokers, while in 2004, 0% of organizations indicated having a formal policy against hiring smok-ers.

Note: n = 495 (2012); n = 523 (2006); n = 270 (2004). In 2006 and 2004, the question was asked as part of the policies question on slide 5. An asterisk (*) indicates data are not available for these response choices in 2006 and 2004. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis.


Does your organization have any of the following practices/policies related to smoking?

2012 (n = 516)

2006 (n = 523)

2004 (n = 270)

Have designated smoking areas (outside of common areas) 58% 74% 72%

Offer a smoking cessation program 44% 36% 32%

Have written policies that state that smoking in undesignated areas may result in termination 27% 26% 17%

Have policies that limit the number of breaks employees can take during the day 26% 32% 27%

Ban smoking in the workplace (both inside and outside the building) 26% 20% 19%

Charge higher health care premiums for smokers 17% 7% 5%

Charge higher life insurance premiums for smokers 8% 2% *

Prefer to not hire smokers 5% 7% 4%

Participate in smoke-out days 5% * *

Ask about potential employees’ smoking behavior in the recruiting process 3% 3% 2%

Other 9% 5% 6%

My organization does not have any practices/policies related to smoking 7% * *

Note: Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates that data are not available for the response option. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis.



Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization size

1 to 99 employees (20%)100 to 499 employees (38%)

500 to 2,499 employees (48%)2,500 to 24,999 employees (58%)

25,000 or more employees (85%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations

Comparisons by organization staff size

Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to offer a smoking cessation program, compared with smaller organizations (1 to 24,999 employees).

Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to charge higher health care premiums for smokers, compared with smaller organizations (1 to 2,499 employees).

Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organizational size

1 to 99 employees (3%)100 to 499 employees (11%)

500 to 2,499 employees (16%)25,000 or more employees (44%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations



Comparisons by organization sector Nonprofit organizations are more likely to ban smoking in the workplace (both inside and outside the building), compared with privately owned for-profit organizations.

Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely to charge higher health care premiums for smokers, compared with privately owned for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Organization sector Differences based on organization sector

Publicly owned for-profit (31%)Privately owned for-profit (14%)

Nonprofit (9%) Publicly owned for profit >

privately owned for-profit,nonprofit


Nonprofit (39%) Privately owned for-profit (23%) Nonprofit > privately owned for-profit


1 to 99 employees (16%)500 to 2,499 employees (3%)

2,500 to 24,999 employees (4%)Smaller organizations > larger organizations


Smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely to have no practices/policies related to smoking, compared with larger organizations (500 to 24, 999 employees).


How are smoking policies communicated throughout your organization?

Other

Word of mouth

Organization's intranet

Supervisors/management

"No smoking/smoking" signs and/or posters in designated areas

New employee orientation

Employee handbooks/manuals

8%

23%

25%

42%

58%

60%

70%

Note: n = 473. Only respondents whose organizations had practices/policies related to smoking were asked this question. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.



Larger organizations (500 or more employees) are more likely to communicate their smoking policies through the organization’s intranet, compared with smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees).


1 to 99 employees (37%)


2,500 to 24,999 employees (67%)25,000 or more employees (71%)

Larger organizations > smaller organizations


Larger organizations (100 or more employees) are more likely to communicate their smoking policies through “No smoking/smoking” signs and/or posters in designated areas, compared with smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees).



2,500 to 24,999 employees (41%)25,000 or more employees (37%)

Larger organizations > smaller organizations




Publicly owned for-profit (33%)Nonprofit (36%)

Privately owned for-profit (16%)Publicly owned for-profit,

nonprofit> privately owned for-profit

Publicly owned for-profit and nonprofit organizations are more likely to communicate their smoking policies through their organization’s intranet, compared with privately owned for-profit organizations.

Comparisons by organization sectorPublicly owned for-profit, privately owned for-profit and nonprofit organizations are more likely to communicate their smoking policies during the new employee orientation, compared with government agencies .



Nonprofit (72%)Government (30%)

Publicly owned for-profit,privately owned for-profit ,

nonprofit> government


Privately owned for-profit (75%)Nonprofit (80%)

Government (51%)Privately owned for-profit,

nonprofit> government

Privately owned for-profit and nonprofit organizations are more likely to communicate their smoking policies through employee handbooks/manuals, compared with government agencies.


Are disciplinary actions taken against employees who violate the smoking policy?

No

Yes

26%

74%

Note: n = 382. Only respondents whose organizations have practices/policies related to smoking were asked this question. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis.


What disciplinary actions are taken against those who violate the smoking policy?

Other

Requiring employee to complete a smoking cessation program

Fining the employee

Suspension

Termination

Written warning

Verbal warning

9%

1%

2%

29%

41%

63%

77%

Note: n = 292. Only respondents whose organizations had practices/policies related to smoking and enforced disciplinary actions against those who violated the smoking policy were asked this question. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.


Does your organization offer employee health insurance discounts for non-smokers or those in smoking cessation programs?

Participants in smoking cessation programs only

Both non-smokers and participants in smoking cessation programs

Non-smokers only

My organization does not offer this type of health insurance discount

2%

8%

10%

80%

n = 465


Does your organization offer employee health insurance discounts for non-smokers or those in smoking cessation programs?



Nonprofit (6%)Publicly owned for-profit >

privately owned for-profit ,nonprofit

Comparisons by organization sector

Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely to offer employee health insurance discounts only to non-smokers, compared with privately owned for-profit and nonprofit organizations.


1 to 99 employees (3%) 100 to 499 employees (7%)

500 to 2,499 employees (9%)25,000 or more employees (31%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations


Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to offer employee health insurance discounts only to non-smokers, compared with smaller organizations (1 to 2,499 employees).


What types of treatments are offered in your organization’s smoking cessation program?

Other

Group counseling

Cessation medications

Nicotine replacement therapy

Individual counseling

9%

31%

53%

55%

57%

Note: n = 221. Only respondents whose organizations offered a smoking cessation program were asked this question. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.


What types of treatments are offered in your organization’s smoking cessation program?


Government (58%) Publicly owned for-profit (20%) Privately owned for-profit > government

Comparisons by organization sector

Government agencies are more likely to offer group counseling as part of their organization’s smoking cessation program, compared with publicly owned for-profit organizations.


Is smoking in company vehicles permitted in your organization?

No

Yes

88%

12%

Note: n = 424. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis.


Is the sale of cigarettes available in your organization?

No

Yes

99%

1%

Note: n = 499. Respondents who answered “Not sure” were excluded from this analysis.

Smoking Policies in the Workplace ©SHRM 2012

Demographics: Organization Industry

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Percentage

Manufacturing 26%

Health care and social assistance 15%

Other services except public administration 11%

Professional, scientific and technical services 11%

Finance and insurance 9%

Educational services 8%

Public administration 7%

Transportation and warehousing 4%

Accommodation and food services 4%

Construction 3%

Utilities 3%

Wholesale trade 2%

Note: n = 482. Percentages may not equal 100% due to multiple response options.


Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)

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Note: n = 482. Percentages may not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Percentage

Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 2%

Retail trade 2%

Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 2%

Arts, entertainment and recreation 2%

Information, publishing industries 2%

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1%

Repair and maintenance 1%

Mining 1%

Management of companies and enterprises 1%

Personal and laundry services 1%

Real estate and rental and leasing 1%


Demographics: Organization Sector

Other

Government sector

Nonprofit organization

Publicly owned for-profit organization

Privately owned for-profit organization

3%

9%

19%

21%

48%

21

n = 487


Demographics: Organization Staff Size

25000 or more employees

2500 to 24999 employees



1 to 99 employees

8%

18%

19%

31%

23%

22

Note: n = 477. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.


Demographics: Other

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Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multinationally?

U.S.-based operations only 72%

Multinational operations 28%

n = 498

Is your organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company?

Single-unit company: A company in which the location and the company are one and the same

31%

Multi-unit company: A company that has more than one location 69%

n = 503

Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both?

Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices 47%

Each work location determines HR policies and practices 5%

A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies and practices

48%

n = 354

What is the HR department/function for which you responded throughout this survey?

Corporate (companywide) 64%

Business unit/division 17%

Facility/location 19%

n = 355


Response rate = 18%

Sample composed of 516 randomly selected HR professionals from SHRM’s membership

Margin of error +/- 4%

Survey fielded January 18-January 30, 2012

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Methodology

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SHRM Poll: Smoking Policies in the Workplace

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