Start smoking at work - it’ll make you happier and increase your lifespan

The power of feeling part of a tribe

Do you want to live longer? Then start smoking. I never thought I’d ever say those words, but recent research suggests that, for some people, it might not be such a bad idea.

I was born in the seventies. I grew up smelling of smoke. My cub scout leader used to chain-smoke on the minibus, restaurants had ashtrays, you had to walk through the smoking section of the plane to get to the toilet, and the best indicator of a “good night out” was how badly your clothes smelt the following morning. 

I remember bank assistants smoking at work

So why am I now advocating taking up smoking to be happier at work?

Recent research has shown that there is one thing that will take more years off your life than smoking.

Loneliness.

According to a study published last year, loneliness is more damaging to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

The only advantage of smoking - Smoking breaks

Ever since I got my first job in the Sainsbury’s produce department as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, there has always been a group of smokers at work who get together twice a day to puff away on their Marlboro Lights in the doorway to the office, rain or shine. 

While everyone else stays glued to their desks feeling lonely, smokers take time off to connect with others.

Now, while every puff may shave minutes from their lives, the time they spend feeling part of a community - part of a tribe - adds time back on.

The importance of belonging

Feeling that you belong in a community at work is one, if not the most important driver of workplace happiness. Feeling connected to your colleagues will actually make you and your team feel significantly happier.

So, while I’m not suggesting everyone should take up smoking to feel part of a community, I am suggesting that if you want to feel happier at work - if you want to feel part of a community - seek out opportunities to find your tribe, to find a place where you feel you belong.

Tip of the week:

For team leaders - Think of an easy way to bring your team members with similar interests together to chat about non-work things. (Ideally not smoking)

For everyone else - don’t eat lunch at your desk this week, find someone with shared interests to chat to.

Feeling part of a community and that you belong to a company or team is one, if not the most important driver of workplace happiness. It won’t just make people happier though, it will increase psychological safety, collaboration and innovation too. If you’re a leader who wants more growth in your company, this could be a nice, simple way to get your team really firing.

Some ideas

• Invest in a posh coffee machine to get the coffee lovers talking. 

• If you have a remote team, create Slack or Teams groups where people with shared interests can connect. 

• Buy pastries or pizzas - For maximum effect, choose food that’s best eaten immediately and can’t easily be eaten at desks, so everyone gathers at the same time. Warm, crumbly croissants work brilliantly!

• For sport major sport events, set up a TV so the sport lovers can bond.

I work with a school where one head of department occasionally brings in biscuits to encourage staff to go to the staff room at break time. Last week, they did it for “Cappuccino Day” – and, as always, it worked like a charm.

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I am Richard Clarke, I write, speak and teach about workplace happiness and how you can use the science of wellbeing to improve team performance. If you want to make your team a little happier, check out my website to see the workshops and talks I offer - richardclarke.eu.