With attitudes changing, Companies prefer to hire Non-smokers

JEDDAH, 27 May 2010 — Work attitudes are seemingly shifting in the Kingdom with many companies that previously sought competencies in English and computer literacy are preferring nonsmoking workers over smokers, according to a report published by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. Job seekers need to brace themselves in ticking the nonsmoking boxes in job applications.


A company executive, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the shift in attitudes was due to a growing concern in the quality of working environments in the Kingdom.

Managers are now less enthusiastic about employing smokers because of the dangerous health hazards that smoking may pose to co-workers. The official said, “This is an internationally applied principle not just a local one. Studies prove that nonsmokers are far more qualified than smokers.”

A recent study conducted by European researchers found that the level of work done by workers that smoke was far less than that done by non-smokers. The study also showed that on average a smoking employee costs a company 2,890 euros (about SR14,000) a year in cigarette breaks.

The study further stated that employees at companies that operated under a nonsmoking policy would generally waste time in going to “smoker’s corners” and that people that smoked have negative effects on their co-workers and generally go on sick leave far more than nonsmokers. Interestingly smokers also cost companies huge bills in ventilation maintenance.

 In fact some companies have already begun applying some of these conditions and prefer employing nonsmokers to smokers. “Companies have the right to prevent and ban smoking within their own premises. As long as an employee is hardworking and does a good job companies should continue employing them.”

Abu Harba makes an interesting point saying that most people smoke because of the stress related to searching for jobs.

Statistics deduced from national records at the Ministry of Health has revealed that the number of smokers in Saudi Arabia has dramatically increased and that the Kingdom has been ranked as the world’s fourth largest cigarette importer.

In spite of various programs educating the public about the harms associated with cigarettes the number of smokers in Saudi Arabia continue to grow, especially among young people. The records also show that an alarming number of Saudi women also smoke. Their number, currently at six percent, is said to be increasing.