Smoking breaks can be a contentious topic in the workplace.
Is it fair that those who smoke get to have cigarette breaks when non-smokers don't? According to one company in Japan: No.
Piala Inc, a marketing firm in Tokyo, has decided to give all non-smokers an extra six days holiday to compensate for smoking breaks, after one employee complained that they were working longer than those who smoked.
The employee left a comment in a company suggestion box and it was read by the CEO who agreed that the smoking breaks - estimated to take approximately 15 minutes each - were unfair. The CEO also hopes the move will encourage employees who smoke to quit. "I hope to encourage employees to quite smoking through incentives rather than penalties or coercion," he told Kyodo News.
In a recent poll by Wales Online, 62% of people said employees "shouldn't have extra breaks just because they smoke".