Steps to developing a successful smoke-free
policy
Deciding to adopt a smoke-free workplace policy is a big step - much thought
and effort will likely go into the development of a policy that will work for
your organization. This guide is intended to help you work through that
process, and can also be used as a counterpoint to objections by some that there
is no way to effectively implement such a policy.
Steps to developing a successful smoke-free policy:
 | Decide on a specific goal for policy change |
| Strategic Assessment
 | What is your organization's current policy re: smoking at the workplace?
|
| What are the current county secondhand smoke regulations in your area?
|
| Identify your organization’s strengths and weaknesses that would effect
implementing the policy. |
| Have realistic expectations and rely on other smoke-free business
owners’ experience. |
| Conduct a survey to assess staff attitudes about secondhand smoke and
adopting a smoke-free workplace policy. |
|
| Develop a working coalition for policy change
| Involve all people who are potentially effected - unions, staff,
management, smokers and non-smokers. |
| Choose a point person, someone well-respected and who has a genuine
concern about secondhand smoke as a health issue. |
|
| Clarify your strategy
| Determine a time-table for policy development and implementation. |
| Decide what kind of support your organization will offer to smoking
employees in their efforts to quit. |
| Develop incentives for employees who are trying to quit. |
| Draft the policy statement. Be sure to include:
 | Where and when policy takes effect |
| Disciplinary actions for policy violations |
| Who is effected by the policy (visitors, staff, supervisors) |
|
|
| Decide on roles and responsibilities
| Who will be primarily responsible for implementing and enforcing the
policy? |
| Who will be in charge of posting signs and notices? |
| Who will communicate with unhappy employees? |
|
| Visit the
steps to implementing a successful smoke-free
policy page to see the steps you'll need to take to complete the process! |
| Enact your plan
| Meet with managers and likely opponents to gain support . |
| Communicate plan to staff - some ways to do that:
| Newsletters |
| Paycheck stuffers |
| Signs |
| Flyers |
|
|
| Enforce and Defend Your Policy
| Enforce as you would any other policy. |
| Train managers to deal with opposition and complaints. |
|
| Acknowledge the need for cessation programs and decide who will
address that need |
| Evaluate the impact of the policy |