Corporate and Employee Wellness
Smoking represents one of the biggest (preventable) costs for employers.
- On average, 1 in 6 employees smoke, a figure that varies significantly by industry, socioeconomic status, and education level. The annual cost to employ a smoker is at least $6,000 more than employing a non-smoker.1
- Insurers can charge up to 50% higher premiums for tobacco users.2
- Every employee who smokes can cost your organization an extra $2056 in medical expenses (as of 2011).3 This figure is likely much higher in 2020 due to escalating insurance costs.
- Smokers take an average of 2-4 more sick days than non-smokers.4
- Three 15-minute smoking breaks per day can amount to a 10% loss of productive work time. If one multiplies 10% by annual salary or wages, each smoker costs their employer an average of $4056 in lost productivity every year.5 If one considers the more relevant statistic of lost revenue generated per employee, the actual cost of lost productivity can be several times greater.
An effective smoking cessation program offers tremendous benefits to both employers and employees.
Research indicates that an investment in effective smoking cessation programs will lead to improved health outcomes for employees, lower healthcare costs, more affordable insurance premiums, increased productivity, and improved emotional well-being.6
The Break the Chains of Smoking system is a 30-day, automated, online program that employs a successful and innovative protocol that is much more powerful than standard hypnosis interventions. Board certified hypnotists at Goodwin Hypnosis have utilized and refined this process over 12 years. The system focuses on changing the smoker's subconscious mindset in a variety of ways, which is significantly more effective than methods that merely address the physical, chemical, or conscious aspects of smoking and quitting.
Break the Chains of Smoking provides a specific curriculum, support e-mails, downloadable audio files, and quick and simple enrollment. Employees can conveniently and privately access the program using any Internet-enabled device, so it can be done according to their own schedule and without taking time away from the work day. It is suitable for anyone who wants to quit smoking and ideal for those who prefer an effective complement or alternative to smoking cessation aids, medications, group classes, or cold turkey.
The system includes an educational and inspiring e-book and audiobook that provides an eye-opening and easy-to-follow discussion of the often misunderstood psychology and physiology of smoking and quitting. The book provides behavioral, nutritional, and self-care recommendations that minimize emotional stress, withdrawal symptoms, cravings, weight gain, and the need for willpower, while maximizing personal accountability, motivation to quit, and long-term, successful outcomes.
Although most users find the Break the Chains of Smoking system to be sufficient as is, additional support is available if requested or needed. For example, we can provide live one-on-one sessions with a board certified hypnotist and/or online group sessions for reducing stress and improving self-confidence.
What if your cessation program were a profit center instead of an expense?
Rather than wasting your time and money on marginally effective and outdated smoking cessation programs that your employees don't appreciate, we can structure an innovative and engaging program that will guarantee your organization a significant return on investment. Simply put, you don't pay for the program, you pay for results.
We recommend that employees pay for their own enrollment, so they have greater commitment and follow-through. An employee's investment is comparable to a month's supply of cigarettes, on average. Your organization may reimburse those employees who complete the program and remain smoke-free for a period of time. By this time, you will have already realized substantial cost savings from those employees who have quit smoking.
Contact us to discuss options
To explore how we can collaborate to help you create a healthier, more productive workforce, please contact Todd Goodwin at 520-317-5500 or contact@breakthechainsofsmoking.com.
References
1. Berman M, Crane R, Seiber E, Munur M (2013). Estimating the cost of a smoking employee. Tob Control 23:428-433, http://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2012-050888.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey data.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). Smoke-free policies reduce smoking. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/reduce_smoking
4. Warner KE, Smith RJ, Smith DG, Fries BE (1996). Health and economic implications of a work-site smoking cessation program: a simulation analysis. J Occup Environ Med. 38(10):981-82.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). Smoke-free policies reduce smoking. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/reduce_smoking
6. Leif Associates, Inc. (2012). The business case for coverage of tobacco cessation 2012 update.