Middle East staff favor work smoking ban: Study

Smoking in the workplace in the Middle East is a custom that most professionals there would like to see changed, a recent survey reveals.

More than half — 54% —of the 5,000 professionals who participated in an online survey by GulfTalent.com, an Internet-based Middle East employment service, said they prefer a complete ban on smoking inside business premises. Ninety-eight percent of the respondents said they favor some form of smoking restriction in their workplace.

The survey found that 33% of the respondents smoke, with the highest percentage of smokers in Egypt and Jordan. Oman had the lowest percentage of smokers.

Some companies have banned smoking at work and others have put in restrictions, GulfTalent.com pointed out in a statement announcing the survey results. Compliance among workers, though, is poor at many companies, the statement noted, with many staff reportedly flouting the rules.

The survey is at www.gulftalent.com.