Bag's Rants

A quick puff. Not quick enough mate.

This policy by Nottingham Council on smoking breaks should be worth watching as it could set an interesting precedent.

I've often myself, a non smoker, watched smokers going away for a 'fag break'. It seems that management in their wisdom have gradually moved the places where you can smoke until now it takes a short flight in a VTOL plus a brisk walk to get there. Then they complain because people leave for a significant period of time. Now, I hate the smell, but I'm of the opinion that most smokers are considerate. Just don't try and stop them having a fix. I don't know any heavy drug users but I can imagine from watching a smoker being deprived of his fix. My view is that you allocate a covered space just outside a door for them to smoke. Something they can get too quickly and get their fix. Then treat it like any other break. No big deal nothing to get worked up about.

The smoking policy Nottingham Council is proposing is unlikely to happen where I work. The bulk of our senior managers smoke. Now, One, they put in very long hours anyway. Two, they run the company. Three, they make all their decisions out there so they are working. Gives them time to think. There was an episode in Friends where the decisions were made by smokers and non smokers missed out. It was funny but it kind of rang true for me. My manager used to listen to all the facts then go for a smoke and come back with his decision. Other smokers of course had extra time with him, last minute manipulation, while they all smoked. Many times I have been asked to go for a walk to discuss something. That means go for a smoke while we discuss things. I don't get smoked on while we talk and we are working so I don't see a problem. If I was smoked on I would certainly say something.

Soon, we will be timing peoples toilet breaks and tea breaks. Press a button at your desk for a toilet break, number one or two or a cuppa. Different timings you see. Little buzzer goes off and the clock starts. Now that would kill me. If I'm thinking I like to get a cuppa. Some days I can have two or three, others, I've drunk so much I need help to lift the empty cardboard cups and my buzzer would sound like I was playing a heavy metal song on it.

I think we are getting beyond a joke when we start looking at these sort of responses to things. We put in ramps for disabled people, we put in parking spaces for car users,bike stands for bikes, heating, cooling, air con, food and drink machines, etc. So, why can't we cater for smokers?

Now the downside. It is a council. A bunch of useless inefficient clowns at the best of times. This is probably an efficiency drive and PR exercise for them as part of their objective setting exercise. So go for it..... Smack them smokers into place force them to find decent places to work. Will they ever manage to get rid of the inefficiencies in the council? I'm not going to hold my breath as it's unlikely when this is where they are starting. Try looking at your social workers, your housing dept, your highways dept..... Need I go on.

posted by Bag @ 2:23 pm