This just in…………Construction workers, miners and food service workers top the list of occupations that smoke the most, according to a new government report.

The CDC study found 19.6 percent of working adults smoke, but as many as 30 percent in the mining, construction and food service industries smoke. Librarians and teachers smoked the least, at less than 9 percent.

OK, not exactly anything new there but the impact remains the same to your business if you are in one of these. MONEY. No, it is not your job to be the parent and to police the bad habits of employees. Yes, it IS your job to deliver profitable results and we all know the negative impacts smoking and also being overweight has on health. When health deteriorates your health care costs go up. So too do your costs because of the impacts of absenteeism and lost productivity.

I understand changing habits is hard. I also know that it can be done. I know clients who do provide programs to improve health. They know the money spent on prevention is more than paid back by the money saved on correction. They also know the positive message it sends to employees about them being more than simply production tools.

There are many things you can do in this area but doing nothing is weak leadership.

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