Tips For Running A Successful Workplace Smoking Control Programme

This article has been archived and will not be updated. For the latest information about our programmes and initiatives, please refer to www.hpb.gov.sg or www.healthhub.sg.

Marketing ideas 

• Highlight the benefits
  Give them concrete examples of the benefits, e.g. a smoker will save $300 a month (one packet of cigarettes a day) or $3,600 a year if they quit smoking. The savings can be spent on a holiday in Australia with their family!

• Include family values
  As people are often motivated to adopt healthy behaviours for their family, you can include success stories about a father who quit because of concern for his children's health from passive smoking.

• Need for role-models
  Take the lead. Inform them that their supervisor / manager are taking part in the smoking control activities.

• Need for recognition
  Appeal to their need for recognition e.g. by featuring them as participant of the month for outstanding performance. You may also hold a ceremony to reward the employees who manage to quit the habit.

• Make your message interesting
  Make your message entertaining, humorous and interesting. You may use animations and cartoon character in your e-mail or flyers.

• Use common human needs
  Appeal to employees needs to have more freedom and to be in control of their life and not to be controlled by their nicotine addiction.

• Make the activities relevant
  Based on their feedback, choose activities which they are most likely to participate in. Smoking control messages & support can be built into other programmes such as sports events and family day carnivals.

Maximise attendance 

• Workshop held at their convenience
  Employees are not likely to stay back or to attend workshops on their off days. Workshops should ideally be held at a convenient time and place.

• Introduce fun elements
  Facilitators may couple smoking awareness talks with other activities such as exercise sessions, yoga lessons and message workshop to add to the "fun" element.

• Lucky draw
  Participants will need to answer some simple smoking awareness questions (related to the activity) to be eligible to enter the draw.

• Minimal registration fee
  To ensure commitment to attend talks, you may impose a token fee of $5, refundable or exchangeable for a gift pack upon completion of the activity.

• Door gifts
  Simple door gifts such as pens, notepads, bookmarks with quit tips, candies can be given away as mementos.

• Introduce point redemption
  Points can be given to employees for every smoking control activity. The points accumulated can be used to redeem for gifts or vouchers.