Q: One of the employees I supervise is a smoker who has genuinely tried to quit several times. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been successful and frequently takes smoking breaks, which reduce his productivity. Recently, he switched to smoking e-cigarettes at his desk. I like it because it has improved his productivity (no more smoking breaks), but I’ve received complaints from co-workers who don’t trust that e-cigs are harmless. They think e-cigs should be banned under our smoke-free workplace policy. What are other companies doing?
A: Designed to look like a traditional cigarette, e-cigarettes are battery-powered gadgets that enable users to inhale vaporized nicotine without fire, smoke, ash or carbon monoxide. They do produce a visible plume of water vapor, which is why the practice is sometimes called “vaping”. E-cigarette use has grown to a jaw-dropping $2-billion-a-year industry. However e-cig’s safety is still being debated.
Although many large companies like Walmart, Target and Home Depot ban e-cigarettes, most small companies like yours have a no-smoking policy, but nothing specifically addressing the use of e-cigarettes. Even as many cities and states have also banned the use of e-cigs in public spaces, as a private employer you’re free to set your own guidelines, just like setting limits for other practices such as web surfing and cell phone use.
Are there benefits to allowing “vaping” at work? Sure, like in your example, it may help someone quit and make them more productive. Also, depending on the type of workplace (creative) and the makeup of your workforce (people who enjoy tobacco), “vaping” may be seen as a perk and improve morale.
But the disadvantages probably outweigh the advantages. For starters, because e-cigarettes can look very realistic (some have a glowing tip), having employees appear to be smoking at work can look unprofessional to customers and colleagues. Then there’s the health issue, the safety of e-cigs is still being debated (the FDA is working on it) and you don’t want to expose workers to unknown risks.
I expect to see some workplace guidelines from the government in the next couple of years. Until then, you’re free do whatever is best for your business. I personally would recommend against allowing e-cigarettes.
©Copyright Eva Del Rio
