SINGAPORE—Royal Plaza (RP) on Scotts, Singapore’s first completely smoke-free business hotel, continues to get positive results from its move to promote the health of its employees through its nonsmoking program first implemented in early 2007. When the hotel decided to go nonsmoking, 96 percent of its employees had successfully quit smoking or had cut down significantly. Employees were continuously encouraged to make a conscientious effort to either reduce the number of cigarettes smoked or kick the habit completely.
To further promote the health of the hotel’s staff, RP on Scotts has implemented initiatives with Singapore Wellness Medical Clinic and Changi General Hospital. In addition, the hotel sought the advice of medical experts on the best approach for employees to either gradually quit smoking or kick the habit completely. To date, 15 employees have managed to quit smoking completely. This is a 25 percent improvement from the number of staff who quit initially. Employees who smoke have also reduced their daily number by an average of three sticks. As a result, productivity, efficiency and staff well-being has increased. It is also reported by employees that they have experienced increased health benefits since voluntarily participating in the program.
“Our decision to go 100 percent smoke free on our premises was based on the health benefits for both our guests as well as our staff,” said Patrick Fiat, general manager of RP on Scotts. “A 100 percent smoke-free environment protects our staff and the guests from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. Smoke-free environments are good for business due to the growing preference for smoke-free establishments. It is also our way of showing support for the government’s initiative to ban smoking in public places.”
Royal Plaza on Scotts’ support for a smoke-free Singapore will help to reduce the amount of money lost from the country’s economy from healthcare costs, absenteeism and loss of productivity. A 1997 study by professors from NUS and NTU showed the cost to Singapore’s economy from smoking was between S$673 and $839 million annually.
According to 2007 survey findings commissioned by the Singapore Cancer Society and the National Cancer Centre (NCC), only five in 100 respondents know that breathing second-hand smoke puts them at risk of cancer. Furthermore, 10 people in Singapore die from smoking-related illnesses daily. Lung cancer, a smoking-related illness, is also the most common cancer among males and the third most common among females in Singapore. Around the world, smoking is the second major cause of death and the single largest cause of preventable death.
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