Smoking associated with work absenteeism

Smokers are 33% more likely to be absent from work and take, on average, 2.7 extra sick days annually. This costs the UK economy an estimated £1.4 billion every year.

Researchers asked employees about their current and former smoking habits and tracked how often they were absent over an average of two years. Smoking was clearly tied to their short-term absences as well as leaves of four weeks or more.

The findings emphasised the importance of encouraging smokers to quit as it is beneficial both to the health of the smoker and their economic productivity.

Read more at University of Nottingham

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  1. Tom Hennessy

    Retired

    Research has shown those who work for the government miss MUCH more work than those workers who don't work for the government.
    Using , bang for the buck , as a marker as they seem to want to use for smokers , means , we have to cut back on the government workers because it is making them almost three times as sick as normal people.
    "Federal public servants are staying home an average of 18 working days a year, or almost a full month off the job"
    "2½ times the average rate of absenteeism in Canadian private industry"

    report