Smoking breaks at work

[Bunkermagnet]

I am amazed at the number of people who you see taking smoking breaks when at work. Do they have to work longer to cover their sciving? I can imagine those non-smokers watching them toddle off for their drag must get pretty peeved about it.

 

[patricks148]

Don't get mad, get even.. take up pipe smoking.. takes 20 mins to light the thing

 

[drdel]

Its stupid that this is allowed when we all know the dangers and the Government spends millions on campaigns to get smokers to give up. Employers are subsidising an unhealthy trait.

Why can't other 'groups' be pandered to - coffee drinkers, fruits juicers, sandwich/pasty eaters)? - its darn ridiculous.

Smokers should smoke in their own time or not at all.

 

[Norrin Radd]

i asked my boss if I could leave an hour early every day and not lose any money .
when he asked why and I told him the rotten sod just walked off grinning lighting one up.

so much for getting my hour a day freebie like the smokers then .

 

[wrighty1874]

A lot of companies only allow smoking at designated areas during tea break and lunch breaks.Smoking outside of these times results in disciplinary action.

 

[Ross61]

It's outside in the car park where I work, problem is that very time I need to visit my van to get tools/testers or take rubbish to the bins I have to walk through a wall of smoke. I would prefer them to have a smoking room so they can sit in their own disgusting smoke.
I also notice the amount of times they are out there and can't believe they are not embarrassed about it.

 

[Big D 88]

Absolutely the same at my place of work.

4/5 members of staff have a cig every hour or so and are out there for upto 10mins at a time, whereas i dont get these breaks.

Problem is, some of these staff are senior managers, and me as a manager i dont want to stir the pot making a fuss over it

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Wow, what a throwback. I'm amazed people still do this. I don't think I know any smokers now and no one at my work smokes. If they did they would not have breaks other than standard ones to smoke. I know this for definite as I'm the boss!

 

[woody69]

Lol at the comments in here. Nothing is stopping you getting up and going for a fresh air break, or a coffee or whatever.

I don't smoke btw, but I do believe adults should be treated as adults and allowed to manage their time (and habits) appropriately. As long as the work is done, what does it matter if they decide to smoke

 

[hovis]

Lol at the comments in here. Nothing is stopping you getting up and going for a fresh air break, or a coffee or whatever.

I don't smoke btw, but I do believe adults should be treated as adults and allowed to manage their time (and habits) appropriately. As long as the work is done, what does it matter if they decide to smoke

Think you've missed the point. What the op is saying is bosses seem to think its ok for a smoker to have a cigarette break here and there. If a non smoker went outside for a fresh air brake they'd be told to get back to work

 

[One Planer]

Don't be mad about smokers breaks.

We have a smoker in our office who takes the biscuit.

I toddle off to the canteen and sit down with a coffee and read the paper for 10 minutes.

I was challenged by my boss once, explained the situation and he hasn't minded sInce. That said it does cause a rub in the office between smokers and non smokers.

Ho hum.

 

[ColchesterFC]

I am amazed at the number of people who you see taking smoking breaks when at work. Do they have to work longer to cover their sciving? I can imagine those non-smokers watching them toddle off for their drag must get pretty peeved about it.

I see from your post history that you often post between 9am and 5pm. Would you be at work during these hours and posting from your desk? What if the smoker doesn't post on forums during his/her working hours and instead uses the time spent posting on a forum for having a smoke break instead? Just playing devil's advocate as an ex-smoker myself.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Get even, read GM in the toilet twice a day for 10 minutes.

I find, GM takes 3 1/2 weeks to read a magazine each month.

Mike Harris needs to pull his finger out and do an extra 8 pages, so that it will fill the rest of the month.:thup:

 

[Smiffy]

I go out for a five minute ciggie every now and then.
I'm entitled to a one hour lunch break but never take it.
Who am I stealing time from?

 

[Oohmeoldbacksknackered]

At our place 6 out of 11 people are smokers. Any of us can take 5 mins here or there away from our desk.
As long as the work is done noone keeps a record.
I sometimes wander out with them and I'm always surprised how little time it takes to have a fag when they're desperate. I'm just enjoying the sun and they're back inside already.
I've recently been told that there are discussions going on about making sure that everyone working at a screen all day may be forced to take 4 minutes exercise every hour to prevent heart attacks.
I think I'd rather take up smoking tbh...

 

[Slab]

I am amazed at the number of people who you see taking smoking breaks when at work. Do they have to work longer to cover their sciving? I can imagine those non-smokers watching them toddle off for their drag must get pretty peeved about it.

It's a tough one that's for sure, I can only suggest that you focus on your own work a little more and maybe you wont notice them so much

 

[Kellfire]

I go out for a five minute ciggie every now and then.
I'm entitled to a one hour lunch break but never take it.
Who am I stealing time from?

Assuming you work more than six hours a day you're in breach of contract law by not taking a full twenty minute break in that time but I assume you know that.

The smokers in my department have to take their 20 minute breaks and smoke on those. We allow them to break those two breaks into four 10 minute breaks so they can smoke through the day. To be fair to them, they do get out, smoke and back in that time but I have seen a couple of people sneak off for extras during the day.

 

[virtuocity]

Depends on the type of work IMO.

If you do work that is constant and never-ending e.g. taking calls in a call centre, then breaks should be planned and regulated.

If you have a set amount of work in a day e.g. build a wall, sell 12 products, write 3000 words, pick up 4 people etc, then as long as the work gets done, then I wouldn't give a stuff.

When I was employed in sales, I ran rings round everyone yet still smoked 10 cigs a day outside the office.

However, despite personal achievements, my team would often miss targets due to many salespeople not being very good. I still took the screaming from the sales directors and absorbed my fair share of the anxiety and pressure heaped on us from above.

So, there is an argument that in certain environments, smokers aren't the problem- incompetent staff should be examined first.

 

[guest100718]

no ones stopping you from taking a fag break too.

 

[Ian_Bristol]

I bet people who moan about smokers still find time to chat for ten minuets about non related work stuff.