PRE the 15th century, a Cherokee chief was desperately bored and plugged a ground leaf he found into a pipe. He lit it, inhaled deeply, choked, spluttered, hated the taste, experienced a head rush, spluttered some more, but persevered none the less, due to some unfathomable need to torture himself.
Little did he realise that the smoking of his original tobacco leaf would turn into an international trillion dollar industry, killing millions — and here we are, more afraid of the atomic bomb.
But besides the physical side effects of smoking on human health, what are the financial ramifications, both personal and financial, and how does smoking affect your business? Let’s take a look at the physical side effects first, which are serious and in many cases, deadly.
There are approximately 4000 chemicals in cigarettes, hundreds of which are toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body’s immune system — a low immune system means time off work. Have you ever wondered what the percentage of absenteeism within your company is in smokers versus non smokers? International studies indicate that smoking reduces productivity, and therefore impacts the bottom line. Surveys in the US have shown that smokers have almost twice the absenteeism (six workdays per year) of non-smokers (those who have never smoked) (3.2 workdays per year) and present twice the work limitations compared with people who have never-smoked (6% vs 3%).
The experts will tell you that nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body and in breast milk. Carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing affected cells from carrying a full load of oxygen, which can cause very uncomfortable symptoms such as irritation, agitation, anxiety, as well as loss of concentration, sleep disturbances and headaches. Now at risk of sounding like a prize hypocrite, I have been known in the past to flatten a box or two of ciggies myself. When I quit for good, I experienced firsthand how my concentration, productiveness, and improved health manifested rapidly as a result of taking the big step.
Among the other possible ways that smoking causes damage is oxidative stress that mutates DNA, promotes atherosclerosis, and leads to chronic lung injury.
Oxidative stress is thought to be the general mechanism behind the ageing process, contributing to the development of cancer (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
From a corporate financial perspective, you have invested in various senior managers, grown and developed them psychologically and experientially — but have you invested in their long-term health and sustainability from a wellness and corporate perspective?
From a financial angle, according to US research, the average smoker will enjoy 9.1 (in the 18- to 25-year age range) to 15 (26 years and older) cigarettes per day, albeit with a colleague or two, being the social network it is. That works out to an average of 12.05 cigarettes smoked per day, per smoker, and would equate to approximately 10 minutes a break, in other words, up to two hours per day.
According to Smoke Enders SA, “the average smoker smokes five cigarettes per day in companies with designated smoking areas. This person will leave their place of work for at least 20 minutes per cigarette to make tea/coffee/purchase a cool drink, call a friend to join them, have their smoke and return to their station” — their average is about one hour and 40 minutes per day.
A mean average between the international and local studies would then confirm that the average smoker takes one hour and 50 minutes per day; multiplied by 238 average working days per annum, that equates to 436 hours spent smoking, divided by an eight- hour day equates to 54.54 days per annum; do the maths.
Well, now that we have established your profits are indeed up in smoke, if you have a smoking culture in your corporation, it’s time to put that thinking cap on and make some changes. From a personal employee and corporate financial perspective assisting your employees — and yourself — to follow a smoke-free life will not only assist your bottom line, but help them live a better, productive and healthier life.
- Tanya Ploner is a business and life coach, specialist in corporate interventions focusing on the bottom line, MD of Infinity Factory, and was the anchor for Healthy Business on DSTV sponsored by Discovery Health. Visit her by logging on to www.infinityfactory.co.za.