I was recently approached to go on the new Trisha Goddard

show on Channel 5. An offer I turned down! You may be

surprised to hear. Or perhaps you think I've gone mad. On

the surface this looks like a great opportunity to promote

myself, but looking further ahead it's too easy to get

associated with something that in the long run creates the

wrong impression of what we do. Especially in cases where

the programme is pre-recorded and you have no say in the

final outcome, with the good stuff finishing up on the editing

A recent survey carried out in Manchester by a Manchester-

room floor .

based recruitment agency has come up with some rather

disturbing news for smokers.

The programme format may have changed but, let's face it,

no one is going to wander too far from a format that has

A poll revealed that 80% of firms want smoking banned in

brought them to such popularity. Consider the outcome of

the workplace and a large majority would choose a non-

what may at first look very attractive - we all know someone

smoker for a job if faced with two equally matched

who has courted instant popularity - and then spent years

candidates.

trying to regain credibility. Anyway I would prefer Richard

and Judy, so if either one of you is reading this, one of your

The result of the survey suggested that opinions are

researchers can get in touch with Trisha who has my contact

hardening in the wake of the government's plans to ban

details.

smoking in pubs that serve food and proposals to ban it in

the workplaces.

A total of 62% of employers said they would be put off

employing a smoker while 74% admitted they would favour a

I intend to run a series of workshops in Manchester starting

non smoker over a similarly qualified smoker. The survey

in the spring.

seems to confirm the hardening of employer's attitudes

towards smokers. Does this show that companies are now

The series of workshops are entitled More Answers than

expressing a preference for non-smokers, particularly if the

Questions and cover a variety of topics on the practice of

job involves face to face contact with customers? In addition

hypnosis. Places are limited, so for more details of dates,

to the health issues involved, bosses are aware of the

price and venue please contact Maurice Sterndale by

negative impression created by someone smelling of stale

e-mail: maurice@5westview.freeserve.co.uk

cigarette smoke.

They are also conscious of the frequent cigarette breaks and

the resentment that these breaks promote amongst non-

smoking colleagues and many companies have already

introduced a ban on smoking at work.

Under British law it is illegal to discriminate on the grounds

of sex, race, sexual orientation, religion and disability. From

2006 this legislation will also apply to age, but there is no

legislation to cover smoking.

Personally, I am not surprised at the result. Companies have

been very honest and admitted smoking does affect their

opinion of potential employees; it is clear that employers do

prefer non-smokers.

It's understandable, who wants to employ someone who is

at risk of severe health problems, has an unpleasant odour,

leaves a build up of cigarette butts outside the building and

has to have more breaks? Fewer and fewer apparently.