Pricey Drag

Introduction

Your smoke break costs your employer `537,208 a year. A first of its kind study has shown that an employee who smokes costs companies more than one who has never smoked. On average the employer loses `1,82,681 due to smoke breaks, `30,694 due to absenteeism, `27,428 due to lose of productivity related to nicotine addiction and `1,22,064 in extra health care costs. But pension costs are slightly less for smokers— `18,000 less per year compared to non-smokers—as they tend to die younger. The finding may help employers formulate better-informed tobacco-related policies. 

Source

Down To Earth, July 2013