Japanese company gives non-smokers 6 extra days of vacation to make up for smoke breaks

[Anonymous]

Smoking at work will cost you more than a week of precious vacation time at one Japanese company.



Piala, a Tokyo-based marketing firm, has started giving non-smoking employees six additional paid days off a year.



The company says the idea came from an employee who complained that colleagues who smoked often worked less because of the cigarette breaks they took throughout the day. That led the agency to come up with what it's calling a "win-win" solution.



"We don't give punishment for smoking," said Piala spokesman Hirotaka Matsushima. "Instead, we offer a benefit for not smoking."



Employees used to think it was unfair that smokers "spend about 15 minutes each for a cigarette break," he told CNNMoney. The situation was compounded by the fact that smokers often ventured down from the company's office on the 29th floor to a smoking area in the basement.



Altogether, the cigarette breaks kept many employees away from their desks for about 40 minutes each day, according to Matsushima.



About 1 in 5 adults in Japan smoke, and smoking rooms are commonly found in offices and public establishments.



That may change as the government tries to crack down on public smoking ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A number of companies have recently begun banning employees from smoking at work, with smoking rooms being used for other purposes.



Last year, local media reported that the Japanese Health Ministry ordered officials to go for a walk after cigarette breaks to prevent the smell of tobacco from affecting others at work.



Since Piala introduced its new vacation incentive in September, 4 out of 42 smokers on staff have given up, Matsushima said.



One of them, 25-year-old Shun Shinbaba, told CNNMoney he used to go through a pack of cigarettes every two days. He plans to use his extra time off to play tennis.



Unsurprisingly, staffers who don't smoke have been pleased with the bonus time.



"Without doing anything, their vacation increases by six days," Matsushima said.

http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-gives-non-smokers-6-extra-days-of-vacation-to-make-up-for-smoke-breaks/">http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-give ... ke-breaks/">http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-gives-non-smokers-6-extra-days-of-vacation-to-make-up-for-smoke-breaks/



Now that I'm a non smoker, I can be objective about these innovative ideas.

[Angry White Male]

If people could just smoke inside, like they used to when smoking men were real men and everyone else knew their place, this wouldn't be an issue, these "smoke breaks."

[Berry Sweet]

I think its stupid.  There are those who dont smoke who waste company time by hanging out by the water dispenser, taking too long to make coffee, taking a real long time in the bathroom (even taking a short nap in the bathroom), playing video games at their desk or doing nonsense on their own personal devices.



A lot more can and should be overlooked, not just smoking.

[Anonymous]

I think its stupid.  There are those who dont smoke who waste company time by hanging out by the water dispenser, taking too long to make coffee, taking a real long time in the bathroom (even taking a short nap in the bathroom), playing video games at their desk or doing nonsense on their own personal devices.



A lot more can and should be overlooked, not just smoking.

Companies tend to consider those time wasters, but are more lenient towards smokers who go outside five times a day.

[Thiel]

Smoking at work will cost you more than a week of precious vacation time at one Japanese company.



Piala, a Tokyo-based marketing firm, has started giving non-smoking employees six additional paid days off a year.



The company says the idea came from an employee who complained that colleagues who smoked often worked less because of the cigarette breaks they took throughout the day. That led the agency to come up with what it's calling a "win-win" solution.



"We don't give punishment for smoking," said Piala spokesman Hirotaka Matsushima. "Instead, we offer a benefit for not smoking."



Employees used to think it was unfair that smokers "spend about 15 minutes each for a cigarette break," he told CNNMoney. The situation was compounded by the fact that smokers often ventured down from the company's office on the 29th floor to a smoking area in the basement.



Altogether, the cigarette breaks kept many employees away from their desks for about 40 minutes each day, according to Matsushima.



About 1 in 5 adults in Japan smoke, and smoking rooms are commonly found in offices and public establishments.



That may change as the government tries to crack down on public smoking ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A number of companies have recently begun banning employees from smoking at work, with smoking rooms being used for other purposes.



Last year, local media reported that the Japanese Health Ministry ordered officials to go for a walk after cigarette breaks to prevent the smell of tobacco from affecting others at work.



Since Piala introduced its new vacation incentive in September, 4 out of 42 smokers on staff have given up, Matsushima said.



One of them, 25-year-old Shun Shinbaba, told CNNMoney he used to go through a pack of cigarettes every two days. He plans to use his extra time off to play tennis.



Unsurprisingly, staffers who don't smoke have been pleased with the bonus time.



"Without doing anything, their vacation increases by six days," Matsushima said.

http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-gives-non-smokers-6-extra-days-of-vacation-to-make-up-for-smoke-breaks/">http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-give ... ke-breaks/">http://wqad.com/2017/11/02/company-gives-non-smokers-6-extra-days-of-vacation-to-make-up-for-smoke-breaks/



Now that I'm a non smoker, I can be objective about these innovative ideas.

I have been thinking about incentives I could offer to encourage my employees who smoke to quit the habit.

[Berry Sweet]

I use to work for this large company...there was this one girl who would always go get water...shed hang out by the water dispenser and make sexy poses...??? ...yeah I dunno wtf??  And she would always try to make conversations with anyone around....a smoker couldve had a smoke and be back to work faster than her.

[Berry Sweet]

I have been thinking about incentives I could offer to encourage my employees who smoke to quit the habit.

Its good to encourage people to quit for health reasons.  But honestly, its nobodys buisness but their own.  Think about how many other employees who may not smoke (at work) but do other activities that are destroying their health.  You gonna condemn them too?

[Thiel]

I use to work for this large company...there was this one girl who would always go get water...shed hang out by the water dispenser and make sexy poses...??? ...yeah I dunno wtf??  And she would always try to make conversations with anyone around....a smoker couldve had a smoke and be back to work faster than her.

She would receive a warning if she worked for me.

[Zetsu]

I have been thinking about incentives I could offer to encourage my employees who smoke to quit the habit.

Its good to encourage people to quit for health reasons.  But honestly, its nobodys buisness but their own.  Think about how many other employees who may not smoke (at work) but do other activities that are destroying their health.  You gonna condemn them too?

Nothing is perfect, but people using the have to take a smoke break is a pretty common issue, if not the most common from my own experience.   I duno how much work and productivity is lost from this one excuse.

[Angry White Male]

There are people that take long shit breaks all throughout the day, and come back smelling like shit, spreading their fumes around the orifice, yet smokers are always vilified.

[Thiel]

I have been thinking about incentives I could offer to encourage my employees who smoke to quit the habit.

Its good to encourage people to quit for health reasons.  But honestly, its nobodys buisness but their own.  Think about how many other employees who may not smoke (at work) but do other activities that are destroying their health.  You gonna condemn them too?

Nothing is perfect, but people using the have to take a smoke break is a pretty common issue, if not the most common from my own experience.   I duno how much work and productivity is lost from this one excuse.

It's significant Zetsu.

[Angry White Male]

I smoke wherever I please, so it doesn't impact my work.

[Anonymous]

I have been thinking about incentives I could offer to encourage my employees who smoke to quit the habit.

Its good to encourage people to quit for health reasons.  But honestly, its nobodys buisness but their own.  Think about how many other employees who may not smoke (at work) but do other activities that are destroying their health.  You gonna condemn them too?

Nothing is perfect, but people using the have to take a smoke break is a pretty common issue, if not the most common from my own experience.   I duno how much work and productivity is lost from this one excuse.

It's significant Zetsu.

I'm sure it is Thiel.



And by the way, it's nice to see you here again.

 ac_smile

[Odinson]

What in fucks name is this..



Smokers dont need "smoke breaks".



They can smoke during the normal break.



If they have some habit of smoking every hour or half an hour, they just need to change their habit.



Theres no withdrawals.

[Anonymous]

What in fucks name is this..



Smokers dont need "smoke breaks".



They can smoke during the normal break.



If they have some habit of smoking every hour or half an hour, they just need to change their habit.



Theres no withdrawals.

You're right. Why should smokers get more breaks.