This Company Just Gave Non-Smokers 6 Extra Days Off To Compensate For Cigarette Breaks
A company in Japan has taken a creative approach to motivating its employees to quit smoking. Piala Inc., a Tokyo-based organization, is giving its non-smoking staff six extra days of vacation per year. Introduced in September, this new policy is meant to compensate for puffing-related breaks, which are said to consume about 15 minutes each.
“One of our non-smoking staff put a message in the company suggestion box earlier in the year saying that smoking breaks were causing problems,” Hirotaka Matsushima, a spokesman for the company, told The Telegraph. “Our CEO saw the comment and agreed, so we are giving nonsmokers some extra time off to compensate.”
The company’s head office is on the 29th floor of an office block in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. Anyone wanting a cigarette had to go to the basement, taking around 15 minutes for each trip.
At least 30 of the company’s 120 employees have already taken advantage of the perk and taken extra time off since the changes have been made. According to the company, the scheme has also encouraged at least four people to kick the habit.
“I hope to encourage employees to quit smoking through incentives rather than penalties or coercion,” Piala Inc CEO Takao Asuka told Kyodo News. The World Health Organisation reports that 18.2 percent of Japanese adults smoke (the figure is higher among males and older generations). Do you think non-smokers should get more paid leave than smokers? Or is that unfair to those who smoke? Let us know in the comments.
More info: piala.co.jp | Facebook
Piala Inc. head office is on the 29th floor, so anyone wanting a cigarette has to go to the basement, taking around 15 minutes for each trip
Image credits: Getty Images
“One of our non-smoking staff put a message in the company suggestion box earlier in the year saying that smoking breaks were causing problems”
Image credits: BEHROUZ MEHRI
“Our CEO saw the comment and agreed, so we are giving nonsmokers some extra time off to compensate”
Image credits: Pixabay
“I hope to encourage employees to quit smoking through incentives rather than penalties or coercion” Piala Inc. CEO Takao Asuka said
Image credits: Piala
At least 30 of the company’s 120 employees have already taken advantage of the perk and taken extra time off since the changes have been made
Image credits: Piala
The scheme has also encouraged at least four people to kick the habit
Image credits: Piala
Some people agree non-smoking employees should get more paid leave
Others think it’s unfair to those who smoke
What do you think?
This is AMAZING. I never understood why smokers got so many extra breaks, smoking is a choice. Non smokers spend way more time actually contributing to work, and this is a great incentive. Good on that company!!
At my job, we have a balcony you can go out to take a break, half is for smokers, half for non-smokers...this has always been ridiculous to me for the non-smokers..all the non-smokers get the 2nd hand plumes blowing their way. so non-smokers don't go out there is all. it's a smoker's balcony.
Nobody wants to be in an area surrounded by smokers when they don't smoke. You just inhale the fumes and then smell like it.
You have basically stated that smokers are less productive and contributing which is incredibly offensive to many hard working smokers. I bet you would actually find that most smokers still meet their deadlines. And you can't say that smoking is the only way to waste time at work. Besides many workplaces don't give extra breaks for smoking anyway.
Well, sometimes the truth hurts
I never said smoking was the only way to waste time at work. Most jobs consider smoking something people can't help so don't mind when smokers just need to go out for a smoke break. Non smokers do not get extra time to just go do whatever
YES! This. I am a smoker who doesn't smoke at work AT ALL, I take regular breaks and use them to eat something
I only partially agree. While smoking is, indeed, a choice, once you're addicted, it's nearly impossible to just decide and stop. Sure, some people can do it and I praise these people, but not everyone can and it's not like they wanna die sooner, or something, they just can't stop. I do agree that this step was an amazing gesture from the company, and a great motivation and possible help for smokers to quit. However, in my company, even us non-smokers take occasional coffee/snack breaks. And as long as the job is done and deadlines respected, nobody complains.
I think coffe/snack break is one think when everyone can have it but smoke break is a different think because it's like a privilege for someone that is addicted which is stupid. There are a lot of places that would frown on you if you wanted to chill with a coffee, since technically you can still have coffee while working, while they do nothing for those who repeatedly go for smoke which is the problem.
Caitlyn, you can't drink or take drugs at work because they impair your function and ability to work. Cigarettes don't in the short term. If you were going to take that stand, you would have to say no coffee at work either as it is an addiction and that wouldn't go down too well.
Well, alcoholics don't get to drink on the job. And that is an addiction for them. So I really don't sympathize. It is a choice. You choose to shoot heroin and get addicted? That's on you. But you can't shoot heroin at work! Smoking doesn't have any benefit. I am irritable all day at work and I don't get to take irritability breaks because I don't smoke to relieve stress.
Anna I drink coffee at work... WHILE I work. That's the difference. I can drink coffee inside at my desk or walking around while I'm working.
Thank you, Echo.
Why was this down voted? I know Daria doesn't always post comments that are respectful, but when they do we shouldn't hold their non-related comments against the conversation at hand. Think about John L. He has made some seriously bad statements, but overall his contribution to our community were developmental. If we all down-vote based on someone's prior responses we might miss out on that opportunity where they post something absolutely intriguing. I so hope that Bored Panda can stay the great group of people we were in the beginnings. Even with those that seem out of place. I am starting to worry with some of the crazy arguments we have had over the past 4 months.
That's strange to me because smoker or not everyone every job I have worked for has received 2 15 minute breaks and a lunch. The smokers all stick to that schedule as do the non smokers and I almost think the smokers are more aware of how long they take because of the bad rep they get. This seems like discrimination against people who smoke and it's a little ridiculous to assume that people who don't smoke take less breaks. I've known both and it really seems like the ones not smoking get up every 10 minutes to get coffee or go to the restroom etc
Well you most work with smokers with a lot of self-control. I don't know many who could force themselves to adhere to two 15 minute breaks.
And they end up wasting more time with their 25 little 4-8 minute breaks than the ones who just take the 2 15 minute breaks
I'm a union worker (public librarian), and everyone gets the SAME amount of break time - whether you smoke or not. I'm a smoker, and probably use less break time altogether than my non-smoking colleagues. Yes, some of us do have enough self-control to wait hours between our nicotine fixes. Believe it or not.
smoking is a choice? the first cigarette you try is, after that it is not a choice but a dependence otherwise they get very sick withdrawals , like diabetes patients need insulin or regular chocolate /lollies breaks at work , or asthma sufferers using puffers and sitting down regularly etc.. So that is the reason for allowing extra breaks.
Not even fucking remotely the same. I'm diabetic, I will DIE without my medicine, you don't get a cigarette and you get cranky.
Ugh everyone gets a 10 to 15 min break per 4 hour shift. If you choose not to take it that is your choice. But don't be ragging on people who work and take their break. Besides plenty of people goof off on their cell phones while clocked in which I never do but somehow that's okay.
Everywhere is different actually. Plenty of jobs just ignore smokers taking breaks and do not even count them as mandated breaks
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Smocking IS NOT a choice. OBESITY is not a choice either.Smocking is a slavery, like food addiction, all addictions are slavery. Thinking that people choose to smoke is a nonsense, this is why it is called an addiction.YES...i'm french, YES i smoke, YES i'm a walking "cliché", but we can choose to educate people to prevent them from addictions, but we can't judge people based on their addictions.addictions are diseases, not CHOICES. Segregation is never the answer, to any disease
It absolutely is a choice. Like I said, alcoholism is an addiction too, but alcoholics do not drink on the job because they aren't allowed!!! Smokers CHOOSE to smoke that first cigarette that gets them addicted. It is not slavery. It is free will. You can quit anytime and don't tell me that is false. People quit cold turkey all the time. Which means it is not slavery because that would mean you don't have a choice in the matter. ALL vices are a choice- eating chocolate, drinking coffee, smoking, drugs, alcohol. They are not slavery
And shit I don't care if you do smoke! I only care that people who choose to get extra breaks for it!
It's their company so their rules. Don't know if there are many companies that allow people to take (smoke)breaks whenever they want to though? A lot of companies that I've worked at or know, just have set break-times (except for bathroombreaks, if you gotta go, you gotta go :P ). Everyone gets the same amount of time to eat, smoke,... etc.
Wow, I wish I worked where you work. At my office the smokers go outside every hour for 15 minutes. I tried doing the same thing and was told I had to go back to work, I was wasting time. Then at lunchtime the smokers eat their lunch, take the allotted amount of time, and then they head out for a 15 minute smoke. Really, seriously pisses me off.
Yup!!!!
maybe you're a very small company of people with not many smokers, but overall smokers get more breaks from work.
If the managers smoke, they tend to be more permissive and less in control of time budgeting for their fellow smokers.
Worked at different size companies (one had 10 employees, other had +500, current has about 100,... with a lot of smokers) and they all have set break-times, noone was allowed to just walk out to have a break. Can go for a quick bathroombreak or to get some water but that's it. Guess it depends on the company, what kind of rules they have.
I have never worked at a company that allows employees to take more breaks just to smoke.
True!I smoke and i never took a break "for smocking".I live in france so we do have breaks, one morning one afternoon and a big one to twelve to 14 or a bit less.Totally good for smockers.I see in this subject many people are brainless and stuck to their way of dealing with smokers.They are extremists, as if i was smocking in my office in USA because i was used to do it in my france office? Why the hell whould you apply your rules in another country, on people?This is fucked up, i never will be able to drink a liter of cola with my meal, why would i shame people for doing so, i'm from another culture.I don't understand, this is not giving me right to judge if it is good or bad.
I love this! Back at my old job, people would constantly go on their cigarette breaks. I mean, like a 10-15 minute break every 1-2 hours, that adds up to at least 40 minutes extra of break-time, while every non-smoker "only" had an hour break a day. This is anything but fair. It's not even adding anything to the company, except for raising the risk of people getting sick. Granted, it's not easy to quit smoking, but it should also not be promoted (like you smoke, you get at least 40 minutes a day of extra break-time and such). Tolerated, yes. But give the non-smokers who don't constantly go on break some goodies.
This happened at my last job as well. One of my teammates would take 15-30 minute "smoke breaks" every 3 hours. Meanwhile, I never even got to take time to eat most days.
I don't think they were smoking cigarettes... lol
This is AMAZING. I never understood why smokers got so many extra breaks, smoking is a choice. Non smokers spend way more time actually contributing to work, and this is a great incentive. Good on that company!!
At my job, we have a balcony you can go out to take a break, half is for smokers, half for non-smokers...this has always been ridiculous to me for the non-smokers..all the non-smokers get the 2nd hand plumes blowing their way. so non-smokers don't go out there is all. it's a smoker's balcony.
Nobody wants to be in an area surrounded by smokers when they don't smoke. You just inhale the fumes and then smell like it.
You have basically stated that smokers are less productive and contributing which is incredibly offensive to many hard working smokers. I bet you would actually find that most smokers still meet their deadlines. And you can't say that smoking is the only way to waste time at work. Besides many workplaces don't give extra breaks for smoking anyway.
Well, sometimes the truth hurts
I never said smoking was the only way to waste time at work. Most jobs consider smoking something people can't help so don't mind when smokers just need to go out for a smoke break. Non smokers do not get extra time to just go do whatever
YES! This. I am a smoker who doesn't smoke at work AT ALL, I take regular breaks and use them to eat something
I only partially agree. While smoking is, indeed, a choice, once you're addicted, it's nearly impossible to just decide and stop. Sure, some people can do it and I praise these people, but not everyone can and it's not like they wanna die sooner, or something, they just can't stop. I do agree that this step was an amazing gesture from the company, and a great motivation and possible help for smokers to quit. However, in my company, even us non-smokers take occasional coffee/snack breaks. And as long as the job is done and deadlines respected, nobody complains.
I think coffe/snack break is one think when everyone can have it but smoke break is a different think because it's like a privilege for someone that is addicted which is stupid. There are a lot of places that would frown on you if you wanted to chill with a coffee, since technically you can still have coffee while working, while they do nothing for those who repeatedly go for smoke which is the problem.
Caitlyn, you can't drink or take drugs at work because they impair your function and ability to work. Cigarettes don't in the short term. If you were going to take that stand, you would have to say no coffee at work either as it is an addiction and that wouldn't go down too well.
Well, alcoholics don't get to drink on the job. And that is an addiction for them. So I really don't sympathize. It is a choice. You choose to shoot heroin and get addicted? That's on you. But you can't shoot heroin at work! Smoking doesn't have any benefit. I am irritable all day at work and I don't get to take irritability breaks because I don't smoke to relieve stress.
Anna I drink coffee at work... WHILE I work. That's the difference. I can drink coffee inside at my desk or walking around while I'm working.
Thank you, Echo.
Why was this down voted? I know Daria doesn't always post comments that are respectful, but when they do we shouldn't hold their non-related comments against the conversation at hand. Think about John L. He has made some seriously bad statements, but overall his contribution to our community were developmental. If we all down-vote based on someone's prior responses we might miss out on that opportunity where they post something absolutely intriguing. I so hope that Bored Panda can stay the great group of people we were in the beginnings. Even with those that seem out of place. I am starting to worry with some of the crazy arguments we have had over the past 4 months.
That's strange to me because smoker or not everyone every job I have worked for has received 2 15 minute breaks and a lunch. The smokers all stick to that schedule as do the non smokers and I almost think the smokers are more aware of how long they take because of the bad rep they get. This seems like discrimination against people who smoke and it's a little ridiculous to assume that people who don't smoke take less breaks. I've known both and it really seems like the ones not smoking get up every 10 minutes to get coffee or go to the restroom etc
Well you most work with smokers with a lot of self-control. I don't know many who could force themselves to adhere to two 15 minute breaks.
And they end up wasting more time with their 25 little 4-8 minute breaks than the ones who just take the 2 15 minute breaks
I'm a union worker (public librarian), and everyone gets the SAME amount of break time - whether you smoke or not. I'm a smoker, and probably use less break time altogether than my non-smoking colleagues. Yes, some of us do have enough self-control to wait hours between our nicotine fixes. Believe it or not.
smoking is a choice? the first cigarette you try is, after that it is not a choice but a dependence otherwise they get very sick withdrawals , like diabetes patients need insulin or regular chocolate /lollies breaks at work , or asthma sufferers using puffers and sitting down regularly etc.. So that is the reason for allowing extra breaks.
Not even fucking remotely the same. I'm diabetic, I will DIE without my medicine, you don't get a cigarette and you get cranky.
Ugh everyone gets a 10 to 15 min break per 4 hour shift. If you choose not to take it that is your choice. But don't be ragging on people who work and take their break. Besides plenty of people goof off on their cell phones while clocked in which I never do but somehow that's okay.
Everywhere is different actually. Plenty of jobs just ignore smokers taking breaks and do not even count them as mandated breaks
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Smocking IS NOT a choice. OBESITY is not a choice either.Smocking is a slavery, like food addiction, all addictions are slavery. Thinking that people choose to smoke is a nonsense, this is why it is called an addiction.YES...i'm french, YES i smoke, YES i'm a walking "cliché", but we can choose to educate people to prevent them from addictions, but we can't judge people based on their addictions.addictions are diseases, not CHOICES. Segregation is never the answer, to any disease
It absolutely is a choice. Like I said, alcoholism is an addiction too, but alcoholics do not drink on the job because they aren't allowed!!! Smokers CHOOSE to smoke that first cigarette that gets them addicted. It is not slavery. It is free will. You can quit anytime and don't tell me that is false. People quit cold turkey all the time. Which means it is not slavery because that would mean you don't have a choice in the matter. ALL vices are a choice- eating chocolate, drinking coffee, smoking, drugs, alcohol. They are not slavery
And shit I don't care if you do smoke! I only care that people who choose to get extra breaks for it!
It's their company so their rules. Don't know if there are many companies that allow people to take (smoke)breaks whenever they want to though? A lot of companies that I've worked at or know, just have set break-times (except for bathroombreaks, if you gotta go, you gotta go :P ). Everyone gets the same amount of time to eat, smoke,... etc.
Wow, I wish I worked where you work. At my office the smokers go outside every hour for 15 minutes. I tried doing the same thing and was told I had to go back to work, I was wasting time. Then at lunchtime the smokers eat their lunch, take the allotted amount of time, and then they head out for a 15 minute smoke. Really, seriously pisses me off.
Yup!!!!
maybe you're a very small company of people with not many smokers, but overall smokers get more breaks from work.
If the managers smoke, they tend to be more permissive and less in control of time budgeting for their fellow smokers.
Worked at different size companies (one had 10 employees, other had +500, current has about 100,... with a lot of smokers) and they all have set break-times, noone was allowed to just walk out to have a break. Can go for a quick bathroombreak or to get some water but that's it. Guess it depends on the company, what kind of rules they have.
I have never worked at a company that allows employees to take more breaks just to smoke.
True!I smoke and i never took a break "for smocking".I live in france so we do have breaks, one morning one afternoon and a big one to twelve to 14 or a bit less.Totally good for smockers.I see in this subject many people are brainless and stuck to their way of dealing with smokers.They are extremists, as if i was smocking in my office in USA because i was used to do it in my france office? Why the hell whould you apply your rules in another country, on people?This is fucked up, i never will be able to drink a liter of cola with my meal, why would i shame people for doing so, i'm from another culture.I don't understand, this is not giving me right to judge if it is good or bad.
I love this! Back at my old job, people would constantly go on their cigarette breaks. I mean, like a 10-15 minute break every 1-2 hours, that adds up to at least 40 minutes extra of break-time, while every non-smoker "only" had an hour break a day. This is anything but fair. It's not even adding anything to the company, except for raising the risk of people getting sick. Granted, it's not easy to quit smoking, but it should also not be promoted (like you smoke, you get at least 40 minutes a day of extra break-time and such). Tolerated, yes. But give the non-smokers who don't constantly go on break some goodies.
This happened at my last job as well. One of my teammates would take 15-30 minute "smoke breaks" every 3 hours. Meanwhile, I never even got to take time to eat most days.
I don't think they were smoking cigarettes... lol