Corporate Wellness Programs: Focus on tobacco use Cessation Programs

Advantages of tobacco use Cessation Programs

Instances of respiratory diseases, cancer and other illnesses can be decreased through tobacco use cessation efforts. tobacco use cessation initiatives can provide huge opportunities for enhanced health.

The American Cancer Society reports that tobacco use staff members cost companies an average of $1,429 per smoker per year in raised healthcare costs over non-tobacco use staff members. Implementing a tobacco use cessation program costs an average of $45 per employee per year, saving companies an average of $1,383 per year for each employee who quits tobacco use. Additionally, the American Cancer Society reports that smokers are absent from work 50 percent more often than nonsmokers. They are also 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized and have 15 percent higher disability rates. tobacco use decreases onthe- job productivity as well. Employees who take four 10- minute tobacco use breaks a day work more than a month less per year than workers who don’t take smoke breaks.

Places to start with tobacco use cessation initiatives:

1.    Create a organization policy prohibiting tobacco use anywhere on the property.
2.    Provide prompts/posters to support no tobacco use policy.
3.    Policy supporting participation in tobacco use cessation activities during duty time (flex-time).
4.    Provide counseling through an individual, group, or telephone counseling program onsite.
5.    Provide counseling through a healthcare plan sponsored individual, group, or telephone counseling program.
6.    Provide cessation medications through health insurance.