Time off for good behavior: Japanese firm rewards non-smokers

Interesting way of handling a viable complaint!

Six days! Good for them. But I love how they claim that even though the smokers are wasting time going down to the common smoking room, when they are in there, of course they are talking about business and sharing ideas! Right! They are gossiping about their customers and what they saw on TV the night before.

Where I work, smokers have to leave the grounds as the whole area is designated a non-smoking area, so they walk across the street to smoke in a parking area. In total they use about 10 minutes per trip, and many make the trip 4-5 times a day, when you do the math, that is a lot of time away from their work, that other non-smokers are not getting. Plus the fools are out in the rain and cold without a jacket in many cases increasing their chances of getting sick.

My last comment(Japan) went non-smoking 15yrs ago still had smoking rooms per floor + plus presidents office(cigars).

Know many companies that went non-smoking hence smokers at building entrances p!us on external staircases. Many owners also declared their buildings as non-smoking areas.

Unlike many Western countries, smoking is permitted in certain sections of restaurants.

While technically this may be true, and DECENT restaurant here is smoke-free, and even though I smoke myself, I respect that and understand it too!

Now that is decent. One good news in a week.

Finally. A tiny bit of good news. Good on that company

Noticed an auto-correct in my post. Comment should be company.

Not sure why downvote, people want to go back in history where public smoking was banned hence smoking clubs/smoking jackets/no smoking for women/etc.

People get stressed here. They smoke - and many drink to self medicate. They needn't be 'outlawed' because of it. Life here is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle for many people. Non-smokers ought to cut smokers some slack. It's not their fault that designated smoking areas are usually few and far between (restaurants often not withstanding).

It's pretty disgusting when my co-workers  sit down next to me to make a lesson plan right after taking a 10 minutes smoking break. They could at least have some Mentos or whatever bon the way back but nope. Plus that's a 10 minutes break a few times a day.

"But at the same time, it's true that smoking room conversations are mostly about work ... they exchange ideas and consult each other," he said. "So we decided it's better to give rewards (to non-smokers) than punish the smokers."

Hah, yeah right!

Instead of punishing smokers, rewarding non-smokers is quite a good idea

I don't smoke, but I frequently go out of office to buy a coffee to refresh myself. This company's treatment discrinates smokers.

Reckon getting additional days-off goes a tad too far, not sure it would boost productivity & team bonding either (non smoker here).

What's next, a day in lieu for not taking a dump (or P) at work in the last month, no water-cooler/coffee machine trip/convos etc?

This is a good idea. I applaud the company for a modern, innovative approach to a long-standing issue.

I love how they claim that even though the smokers are wasting time going down to the common smoking room, when they are in there, of course they are talking about business and sharing ideas! Right! They are gossiping about their customers and what they saw on TV the night before.

Speaking as a former smoker, what you describe does definitely happen, but so does a lot of business as mentioned in the article. I used to leave the office with a colleague specifically to talk in a different location, with the cigarette as the excuse, as well as leave with someone to have a cigarette and end up discussing ideas on a project or whatever. The management here has the right idea as far as I'm concerned, particularly since 1/3 of their workforce are smokers meaning alienating them would probably not be a good idea.

"Six extra days of vacation" And I'm sure they'll be able to use them. (Sarcasm)

 But I love how they claim that even though the smokers are wasting time going down to the common smoking room, when they are in there, of course they are talking about business and sharing ideas! Right! They are gossiping about their customers and what they saw on TV the night before.

And how do you know if the smokers aren’t doing the same?

To get non-smoking get penalised for the water cooler talks, etc.

Let's have an equal playing field, penalties et all.

Not a smoker, my parents used to smoke heavily but quit after a long struggle. Myself my lungs are 100% clean surprised my doc who knows my folks smoked 40-60 cigs a day each.

Japanese firm rewards non-smokers

It's nice to see it happen. As an aside, while there's a proverb like "Sake is the chief of all medicine," there isn't such a saying for smoking, though, there's anothwer adage like "Sake is the chief of all poisons." ;)

In my previous company I was the only non-smoker, fortunately as we were working with expensive technical equipment there wan't smoking in doors, however it pissed me off the hours spent drinking can coffee puffing away by my colleagues. Eventually I just started saying Im going on a Chocolate break and go for a walk around the block..

hirokazu kora:

I don't smoke, but I frequently go out of office to buy a coffee to refresh myself. This company's treatment discrinates smokers.

Well, use the vending machine, or the kitchen, or just bring a flask of hot coffee - it's cheaper and you won't waste time going to the shops. Stop making excuses.

No, the company is not discrinating (sic) smokers. Smokers are discriminating their lungs and not giving themselves the best chance of leading a later life free from the suffering of lung cancer. But that's their choice if they want to suffer a slow death.

This is a very clever, forward-thinking plan, and I hope it has much wider-reaching effects than just those for the employees of this one company.

it has been proven that non smokers on average are more productive than smokers in workplaces that allow for smoking breaks. If non smokers are more productive they should be better compensated, or smokers should take home less pay for the work time lost to smoking.

I don't smoke, but I frequently go out of office to buy a coffee to refresh myself. This company's treatment discrinates smokers. why is it discrimination, most employers dont have coffee breaks as part as their employment conditions and if they do smokers are allowed them also. For smokers to be allowed extra time off to support a personal habit is discrimination to non smokers, especially if they receive the same salaries as non smokers

the 6 days is actaully light, average smoker loses about 30 minutes a day ,conservative, supporting their habit. that equates to about 15days a year of lost productivity

It would be nice if everyone was the same! Surely there is room to accomodate everyone bad habits included. Yes smoking is disgusting. But smoking is addictive and a really hard addiction to break. Leaving the work place to shield co workers from it, isn't that a good thing? Company encourage non smoking, good thing? I fail to see any down side. I'd like an extra 6 days off (fat chance) but sometimes to get a donkey to move you need to dangle a carrot.

Cricky.

Not that hard to break as my folks discovered, go cold turkey as body nicotine cravings stop at 2 weeks, mental/habit takes longer.

My folks tried various methods for years in the end cold turkey during a holiday did it same time we cleaned the whole apartment to remove all traces of tobacco.

End result they stopped took 3 weeks minimal pain.and minimal cost.

I know plenty of non-smoking staff who are good at looking busy. Of course, everyone is case by case. If a smoker could sit at their desk and smoke, there would be less 'downtime' as a result of their smoking. It's not the smoker's fault they have to go elsewhere, or that the nearest smoking area gets further away every few years.

Personally, I go for one or two per day. But I don't drink coffee. And when possible (when there is no one in the way of progress), I like to work quickly and efficiently anyway. Smokers don't complain when other staff do what they have to do. Perhaps people need to stop the whinging about smokers. It's really not your problem.

And yes. It is discrimination pure and simple.

So why is the right to smoke a protected activity at work but other things are not? Everywhere I work generally has had a 10 minute unofficial break at employee discretion both morning and afternoon. Yet smokers smoke 6 times a day under this system somehow.

Perhaps people need to stop the whinging about smokers. It's really not your problem. And yes. It is discrimination pure and simple. yes i agree it is discrimination to non smokers, if smokers are allowed unproductive breaks in their schedules then non smokers should be allowed a similar amount of time also. This company has chosen to do this by allowing the 6 extra vacation days. I dont smoke and drink coffee, but I drink it at my desk while im working. Fact has been proven many times that non smokers are on average more productive than smokers, yes smokers can also look good at being busy, but certainly cant when taking a smoking break, sorry "loss of productivity smoking break" Even if you go for two smoking breaks a day , say 10minutes a day, that works out to around 5 days a year in smoking breaks. If you can manage only 1~2 breaks a day then why not just smoke in your lunch break.

People get stressed here. They smoke - and many drink to self medicate. well they should seek help to quit. the same old excuses, the temporary stress relief by smoking is far outweighed by the adverse health effects and diminished life expectancy that smoking causes. Alcohol can be drunk in moderation without any ill health effects, every cigarette damages your body. I dont drink or smoke and get stressed at times, but ive got the mental fortitude to handle that stress without medication.

What's next, a day in lieu for not taking a dump (or P) at work in the last month, no water-cooler/coffee machine trip/convos etc?

Im pretty sure most smokers also visit the toilet, water/coffe machine/convos etc

main difference non smokers dont get the extra smoking breaks, hence the extra time vacation time for non smokers. Heres and idea for smokers, try to quit you can be more productive, better for your health and life expectancy and you may one day get rewarded for your increased productively like the company in this story.

Nice for good news, hope this spreads. 6 days is a lot in Japan. Hope they don't have to catch up on their workload while on holiday like my partner does...

This is meaningless, when most workers can’t even take the holidays they are allotted now

If you can manage only 1~2 breaks a day then why not just smoke in your lunch break.

Because I'm not afforded that opportunity. Heck, 'lunchbreak' is even a grey term that doesn't have much weight in my line of work. It was sacred personal time in my home country. Alas, TIJ...

I dont smoke and drink coffee, but I drink it at my desk while im working.

Would you prefer smokers also sit at their desks and work at the same time, too? Believe me, they would prefer to. It was non-smokers who complained until smokers were sent out into the street.

Pollution? Pop music is pollution to me, it is literally bad for my health. But I'm not lobbying for all the kids to only listen to it in some vacuum sealed room in a distant basement corner. It's simply not my place to tell someone what they can and cannot ingest, and how they do so.

Anyways, you don't need to be a smoker to waste time at work...

Would you prefer smokers also sit at their desks and work at the same time, too? Believe me, they would prefer to. It was non-smokers who complained until smokers were sent out into the street. yes and rightly so, to preserve the health of non-smokers. this debate has been going on for decades and the simple fact is if you want to continue a personal habit that endangers the health of yourself and those around you then you should do it on your own time and money. has been proven / debated and laws introduced in many countries to limit the damage to peoples health and productivity loss in companies, it only a matter of time before Japan follows the common sense route. If your a smoker, do yourselves, your companies and society a favor and quit.

Brilliant - wish they did that at my company