Nevada’s economy is still shaky at best after recovering from the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Today, over one-third of small businesses are struggling to stay open while optimism is at an all-time low. While this list of “why’s” is nowhere near exhaustive — inflation, labor shortages, supply chain interruptions — the list of possible solutions is growing. Businesses are doing what they can to survive, such as implementing flexible scheduling or automation, but there’s one cost-savings that research shows works: investing in employee health.
Investing in employee wellness through fitness, mental health support and preventative care has long proven to increase employee morale, increase employee engagement and innovation and reduce turnover, which is drastically needed in today’s economic conditions.
A widely cited study by Harvard Business review found investing in comprehensive wellness programs more than paid for itself and drastically improved overall workplace satisfaction. Similarly, the Willis Towers Watson employer survey and a number of American Psychological Association studies support these claims — investing in physical or mental health initiatives fosters a more committed workforce.
Right now, the average U.S. business is inadvertently paying almost $6,000 per year for an employee who smokes compared to the cost to employ a person who has never smoked cigarettes, according to a study from Ohio State University.
But you can’t just mandate your employees quit smoking — many of them likely have already tried and failed. In fact, approximately two-thirds of adults want to quit smoking and despite more than half of them who have tried to quit, their success rate is less than 10 percent. It’s incredibly difficult to quit and a lot of support is needed. As a small business owner and former smoker, I understand this firsthand. Employers have a long way to go to support our employees who are interested in quitting tobacco products — less than 30 percent of employers reported that their health insurance or mental health services cover substance-use disorders.
Although smoking rates are at historic lows, there are more than 1 billion cigarette smokers globally and over 30 million cigarette smokers in the U.S. alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nevada’s adult and youth smoking rates are higher than the national average. This means Nevada businesses are paying higher than businesses in 49 other states for employees who smoke. We can’t just abandon these employees — we should treat our employees like family and be the support they need.
For adult smokers struggling to quit or uninterested in quitting tobacco products altogether, a potentially effective way to reduce the individual health impact of cigarettes, is to transition to alternative tobacco and nicotine products. A growing number of studies have shown that providing smokers with a broad and innovative portfolio of potentially reduced-risk products increases the success rate of quitting altogether. Nicotine alternatives, including vaping products, are significantly safer than cigarettes. It’s the tar and other cancer-promoting chemicals in traditional cigarettes that causes the majority of tobacco-related health problems.
As a society, we have implemented harm-reduction strategies, like bicycle helmets and seat belts. They’re proven to work — saving lives and insurance costs. Shouldn’t we adopt similar strategies for our workforce, as we continue to try to retain these employees who are vital to our economy? Harm reduction is a better alternative to another prevailing yet ineffective public health philosophy regarding risky behavior — prohibition and government bans.
A business ledger is full of direct cost and indirect cost inputs. If we want to lower our direct and indirect employee-related costs and make our workplaces and our employees safer, investing in tobacco-harm reduction for our employees is a vital step. Addressing smoking in the workplace through health incentives and cessation programs can help mitigate these costs.
Steve Trollope is the co-founder of a cyber security startup, a financial business consultant and the owner of 3D Keepsake Imaging, a prenatal imaging center in Reno.
