Nomura Holdings Inc., located in Japan, has ordered its employees not to smoke during working hours, even if they work from home. According to spokesperson Yoshitaka Otsu, the country’s largest brokerage, sent out a message to its workers outlining the new policy, which will take effect in October. By the end of December, the Nomura Group will have closed all of its smoking rooms.
According to Otsu, the new regulations would be based on mutual trust and not a penal provision. There is no policy in place to keep track of workers who work from home.
According to the company’s statement, Nomura aims to establish a positive working atmosphere, reduce second-hand smoking, and improve employee health.
According to a study conducted by the National Cancer Centre Japan in March, more than two out of every ten smokers claimed their cigarette usage rose when working from home or staying at home. It’s partially due to the lack of smoking regulations at home.
According to Nomura’s website, the company wants to lower the smoking rate among its workers in Japan to 12% by 2025, down from 20% in March 2020. Since 2017, the brokerage has offered financial assistance to workers who want to quit, according to Otsu.
To avoid “third-hand smoking,” the brokerage’s current policy strongly advises people to stay away from its offices for 45 minutes after smoking during lunch or breaks, according to Otsu.
Calbee Inc., a food company, banned employees from smoking during work hours in 2018. It stated that the health of employees and their families was critical to the company’s success.
According to a representative, Ajinomoto Co., a food manufacturer, implemented a no-smoking-while-working policy in 2019, which included individuals working remotely.
SoftBank Group Corp.’s telecom unit, according to spokeswoman Rika Takahashi, implemented a similar restriction in April 2020 to safeguard staff’ health and protect consumers from second-hand smoke.