OVER the past few months e-cigarettes have been in the news a few times, with keen advocates on both sides of the debate.
But with the development in e-cigarette technology coming thick and fast, some employers have been taken by surprise and don’t know whether they should take a stance on them, let alone which side of the debate they should side with.
Is the use of e-cigarettes a storm in a teacup – or a call to action for employers?
With an estimated 1.3 million users in the UK, and with numbers expected to rise, this is likely to be an issue that could affect most businesses – just
OVER the past few months e-cigarettes have been in the news a few times, with keen advocates on both sides of the debate.
But with the development in e-cigarette technology coming thick and fast, some employers have been taken by surprise and don’t know whether they should take a stance on them, let alone which side of the debate they should side with.
Is the use of e-cigarettes a storm in a teacup – or a call to action for employers?
With an estimated 1.3 million users in the UK, and with numbers expected to rise, this is likely to be an issue that could affect most businesses – just imagine if every employee who currently smokes became an e-cigarette user instead. The products themselves don’t contain tobacco or always give off smoke like tobacco cigarettes, but they do contain chemicals and can have a flavour or an odour. Along with their general appearance in an office or customer-facing environment, this is a matter that employers need to consider.
It is important to appreciate that there is a difference between tobacco and electronic cigarettes and we would advise that their users should be dealt with differently. E-cigarette users cannot be stereotyped as smokers or ex-tobacco smokers and to ask them to use their e-cigarettes in designated smoking areas does not seem reasonable or supportive in their attempts to break the habit. Having said that, their habit can have an effect on their colleagues in the workplace and so, even for the interests of office harmony alone, employers should put guidelines in place which do, as a minimum, address what and where is considered appropriate use of e-cigarettes in the workplace, especially when taking into account customer facing, food preparation and communal areas.
For support with suitable guidelines and other staffing or employment issues contact Black Dog HR Consultancy Ltd on 01280 817341, email or visit www.blackdoghr.co.uk