Q. I am a CEO of a large human services agency. We have a non-smoking policy in our buildings, but we do have a smoking area outside away from the door. Several employees are abusing the privilege to take smoke breaks, and other employees are complaining. The smokers have been told indirectly through a memo to limit breaks, but it seems they are out there too much. How can I sensitively encourage them not to take so many smoking breaks during the day, and how can I curb their habit at the workplace? Thanks for your response.

A. Asking some smokers to limit smoking breaks is like asking a child to limit the number of M&M’s they take out of a bowl? What does that mean?
It’s your job to set policy objectively regarding breaks for all employees, not to worry about curbing anyone’s habits or addictions.

Your employees don’t smoke in your buildings because you have a written non-smoking policy. You now need a written break policy. Don’t distinguish between smokers and non-smokers. For example: Your employees may be given a one or two ten-minute break in the morning and then the same in the afternoon. How they choose to spend their time will be up to them. Smokers can smoke. Non-smokers can just enjoy the great outdoors.