Staff Smoking

[littlegrohl]

I agree. So whereas some employers I have worked for have specific anti-drugs policies, then that is OK, because the drugs in question are illegal anyway.

However, the smoking question I think comes down to finding the right balance between individual freedom, and making sure that your therapists present themselves well when performing treatments on clients.

The UK already has more draconian smoking legislation than most countries anyway.
Posted via Mobile Device

Absolutely 100% agree with this statement!

 

[ValencianNails]

Yeah and menthol cigarettes make you smell like peppermints

I suppose that would be a problem for people who don't like the smell of peppermint :lol:

 

[persianista]

I'm a smoker, and ask at interview if prospective staff smoke. If you feel the need to have a non smoking staff in your salon then thats your call.
Personally speaking, I find the smell of garlic masked with mints makes me heave. Ifind people chewing gum extremely objectionable. We all have certain standards in our salons and in life in general.
As I said at the start, I smoke. 40 a day in fact. I see 50 clients a week who clearly don't let the fact that I smell of **** put them off booking in with me. If I chewed gum with my gob open it would possibly be different.....

 

[Tantrum]

Hi
i am a smoker too, now im a nail tech in the salon so it wouldnt be too much of an issue. however i hate the smell of smoke on clothes n especially hands. i wouldnt smoke too much in work n kinda hide when i am. perfume to hide it smells awful, i have a gum n water straight after but lose the gum when clients come in.

as a few have said too much perfume or other smells aint good either.
maybe you could ask employees to only smoke on breaks n try not smell too strongly of it. as it is their business wether they smoke or not, but how bout having fabreeze handy as i spray my uniform with it n it seems to work but also smells nice n not overpowering.

Pam

 

[kylieb]

No sorry but I smoke and there is no way I would smoke in my break. If you dont smoke the smell is just awful. It's more noticeable and it's not proffessional.
I am allowed to smoke in my break but it's my choice not to.
I don't have a salon but if I ever did then I would ban it or advertise for someone who didn't smoke.
I woulnt go back to a therapist who stank of cigarettes and I smoke myself!
xxx

 

[Lynne Baker]

My thoughts exactly!

 

[DEBI-DEE]

Like Sandi, My clients are very surprised if they realise i smoke as i am also very conscious of this. I have extra strong mints everywhere just in case, perfume (not overpowering) and thoroughly wash my hands before and after every client anyway.
Wish some clients were as considerate as me, i had a pedicure in the other day that i had to breathe through my mouth for the full treatment or i would have passed out. :lol:

 

[koskinas]

Thanks for your feedback everyone its really appreciated, didn't expect to get such a response, I will look into it. I do believe the therapist's image is important you wouldn't see a nurse in uniform smoking? Well at least I haven't! I don't have anything against smoking or smokers, but as a business owner I naturally wouldn't want to put off customers! I think I will put something in the contract if legal.

 

[kylieb]

Like Sandi, My clients are very surprised if they realise i smoke as i am also very conscious of this. I have extra strong mints everywhere just in case, perfume (not overpowering) and thoroughly wash my hands before and after every client anyway.
Wish some clients were as considerate as me, i had a pedicure in the other day that i had to breathe through my mouth for the full treatment or i would have passed out. :lol:

It's good that you are concious of it but it doesn't matter what you do...non smokers will still smell it. The smell will be on your skin, in your hair and in your clothes. We cant smell it because we smoke but to others this is so noticeable.
When it comes to a facial and you are telling your client 'smoking is damaging your skin' then you will just look a like complete hypocrite.
Not that I am getting at you chick, please don't think that
xxx

 

[koskinas]

Hi
I spoke to a friend of mine who says she was working as a receptionist for a large company and it was in her contract that she was not allowed to smoke in her breaks and she had nothing to do with the health and beauty industry and the reason was due to image, so I don't think its illegal. This is really not meaning to discriminate smokers (being a smoker before remember!) but really don't want to put off customers!

 

[Violet Star]

I dont think it would be fair to stop someone from smoking on their breaks as what they do in their own time is upto them.

But again smoke is another smell in life that isnt so pleasant, everyone has different smells some smell of lovely perfume, some wear awful perfume, some people have B.O or have bad breath, You could go on forever not allowing people to work for you if they have not a pleasant smell.

Would you allow your therapist to eat a garlic pasta for lunch?
As that is one breath smell that just does not go away.
xx

 

[VHunter]

Thanks for your feedback everyone its really appreciated, didn't expect to get such a response, I will look into it. I do believe the therapist's image is important you wouldn't see a nurse in uniform smoking? Well at least I haven't! I don't have anything against smoking or smokers, but as a business owner I naturally wouldn't want to put off customers! I think I will put something in the contract if legal.

For one, I'm not sure how smoking relates to beauty as it does to health.
A therapists job is to improve the appearance of a person, not improve their health. Yes, smoking does cause things like wrinkles and yukky skin
BUT so do other things in life (sunbathing for example) and no one would think anything of it if their therapist liked to sit in the sun.
And a nurse who is a smoker is not less caring or less trained on the job than one who isn't. Her performance will not suffer because of it.

I think this is just a case where a smokers 'flaw/bad habit' is more visible/noticeable than other people's bad habits. But we can't very well start asking people to list their bad habits on their job applications.

 

[the beauty box]

Hi, i have never worked in a salon before so i can only relate to my collage experiance,

there was one girl in my class who smoked at every available oppurtunity, as a non smoker i could smell it very strongly and did not work with her on any pratical work, then there was another girl who i didnt even no smoked untill a couple of months into our course as she always covered in up with perfume deodrant and mints

so i suppose what i am saying is i think it is fine for staff to smoke so long as they do it away from the salon or premises and cover the smell approporiatly

i find it very unperfesional to smell of smoke, in any industry not just beauty xx